Spring break is kicking my butt when it comes to work related projects. However, in all honesty, I don’t feel all that bad about it, despite the income worry. Rather, focusing on my kids and talking to them and LISTENING to them feels more important right now. The reality is, there isn’t much else I can do. Who can write anything coherent with three loud kids banging about around them, demanding your attention every five minutes? Limited incomes means no day camps or childcare for us. Just me and them, working on our spring break ideas together.
Again, I am okay with this.
I have told them that I will murder them if anyone dares say ‘I’m bored.’ We have lots of projects that need to be tackled, so nothing to do is not an option. I have also explained that I am not an entertainment coordinator for them and they can and should think about what they can do for themselves too. Adam has to build a ‘Rube Goldberg’ machine for a class project. This is is harder than it should be and I feel that only those with a penchant for engineering can truly succeed at this. So far we have a vague plan of what we wan the machine to do and a pile of stuff we think could help make it do it. It is giving me a headache.
The ‘what to do during Spring Break’ lists have irritated me. The Vancouver Sun one was filled with ridiculously high priced attractions. I was becoming more and more depressed pre-break and martyred at being obviously one of the ‘have not’ families in this over priced town. However, this depression has turned into a steely anger and resolve to find more affordable activities for larger families and lower income families. Swimming and ice skating at the local pools and rinks, are two affordable things that the kids all love. If the weather dries up we are going to hit some of the local nature parks that we have not been to yet. We are also stocked up for Easter crafts for days like today.
I get really really frustrated that we don’t have the money for vacations, and extra curricular activities, my kids lives seem sadly different from many of their peers. We want to give them everything. I want their world to be amazing and fun and exciting and I feel so defeated when I can’t make it so for them. However, it makes me also resolve to work harder to change things and make things better for them.
My kids drive me nuts, but I love them so much……my promise to them for Spring Break is to not totally lose my shit at them 🙂
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