Summer is almost here. You can practically smell the suntan lotion and bug spray. The kids will soon be home from school. They'll be around 24/7. We all know they can strike a nerve or two or 50. So why not send them to summer camp?
Although I hate to answer a question with a question...why do I have to send them to summer camp?
When this time of year rolls around, people look at me like I have three heads because I choose not to send my kids to any type of summer camp. Translation...they are with me a lot. You could say they are my most-used summer accessory.
Call me crazy, but since I am blessed enough to be a stay-at-home mom and freelance writer without a 9-5 job, I don't really find summer camp a necessity right now. Why spend extra money for someone else to play with my kids when I can just do it myself and have some fun too?
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Don't get me wrong, I think camps are a great resource and essential when you have both parents who are working all day long. Camps give the kids a chance to play outside, go places, and meet new friends. I know some SAHMs who send their kids to half-day camps just to get them out of the house and break up the summer a bit. Since that's all fine and dandy for them to send their kids to camp, why is it odd for me not to send mine?
It may sound nuts, but I actually don't mind when my kids are home...even during the summer 24/7. I like being able to go outside and play, take them to the beach, and just let them be kids.
Before you think everything is rainbows and unicorns at my house, there are plenty of times when I bark at my kids over the summer because they've just plain old gotten on my nerves. Haven't we all? There are summer nights when they go to bed early because mommy needs a break or mommy needs to get a lot of work done. It just goes along with the territory. I'm no Mom-angel.
But, there are also plenty of times when we've hung out at the beach with friends, splashed at the pool, and stayed outside eating those ice pops that leave your mouth different colors. We honestly enjoy our summer...together. We're making great memories. I know these days are numbered. Soon enough the thought of them hanging out with their mom at the beach all day will be anything but entertaining. So I'm soaking it in now.
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I'm sure there will come a day when my kids will need to go to camp for one reason or another and that's fine. That time is not now. Until then, please don't look at me like an alien for not wanting to send my kids to camp. For now, it's Camp Mom 24/7 and I'm okay with that.
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