I’m standing at the goal, yellow wiffle bat in hand, waiting for the kickball to come my way. We are engaged in a down and dirty game of Frank Ball, think soccer using wiffle bats. It’s a game my oldest made up two years ago, and no his name is not Frank.
It’s a fun game, generally. At least it is when my three boys aren’t playing it. Lately, it seems that we can’t do anything, and I mean, anything without them bickering and fighting, and one of them storming off in tears. Shout out to the middle child.
For the first time, ever, I am ready for them to go back to school. Summer has been a wild ride of baseball and baseball and uh, baseball, but the long days and buggy nights have just gone over my expiration date and like that carton of milk, now I’m sour.
We were good right up till last week, but now there’s a restlessness in the air that settled down like fog on my children. They can’t stop torturing each other. It’s like they feel the change and know summer has come to a close, and there’s nothing left to do but tease each other mercilessly and drive their mother insane.
I never felt a real desire to shove them off. It’s a new experience for me to look forward to the peace that comes with a return to structure, normal bedtimes and a less flexible schedule. They’re changing and growing in amazing and sometimes, annoying ways. And I guess, I’m changing and growing too; learning to let go a little more, and enjoying both the quality time with and without them.
People have asked me how I will spend my days now that I will soon have three children in full time school. It makes me laugh. 8:30am to 3pm is pretty easy to fill. So don’t worry about me, I think I can manage that time to myself without resorting to bonbons and daytime TV.
I smack the ball preventing a goal, but the ball hits the side of the frame resulting in bats being immediately thrown to the ground and my children screaming about whether that constitutes a goal or not.
“Touching counts! It’s a goal!”
“You’re such a cheater!”
It goes on and on, back and forth, until finally I put my own bat down and just walk in the house.
“Mommy!” They scream and run after me. “He cheated!” “Did not!” “He did!” They’re following me, pleading their cases on my wishfully deaf ears. I can’t get away from them.
Only three days, one hours and 23 minutes to go. Not that I’m counting.
Why does going to the supermarket alone, sound as blissful as a massage?
Icescreammama 
My friends who went before me in the all-the-kids-are-in-school-all-day club told me the time goes so fast, but I didn’t quite believe them until I joined the club three years ago. Wow do those 6 hours really fly by!!!! I love the pictures of your gorgeous boys! I’m counting the hours with you till my sweet brood goes back too! xo
thank you and i believe it! it’s amazing how fast the time goes. i’m looking forward to getting some stuff done and then i’ll appreciate and be ready when they walk through that door demanding my attention.
Kids – can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em – or is that chocolate?
ice cream 😉
Ha! You have read my mind again!! I love them dearly but I think they need something new and I need a bit more quiet. Great essay as usual! You do such a great job of describing the funny, real, bittersweet days of raising boys:)
As I’ve said before, “if I can’t eat pizza for a living, then let me just go grocery shopping alone.” Why does it feel like such a splurge to stroll up and down the aisles alone?
Enjoy your EVE before back-to-school. You’re only hours away from peace and quiet.
thank you!! let me get through this morning!!
I’m planning on homeschooling my kids. So I wonder what will happen to me when summer ends and school is at home? I guess just continuing going crazy 😉 I have a few years til that point though! 6 hours a day to get stuff done sounds incredible though. I think that’s the most obvious thing I never anticipated before having a child was that they never, ever leave you alone!
ha!! so true!! good luck with the continuing crazy!! at least you know there’s time where they need to be quiet and engaged in stuff. my hat is off to you! i don’t know if could do… or maybe i just don’t want to. haha!! 🙂
First of all, bonbons and daytime TV sounds totally amazing. I mean, not as an every day thing, but for sometimes. And I’m pretty sure you deserve at least a day or so of that once everyone is back in school. Second of all, I’m pretty sure that every Stop and Shop in the Tri-State area looks exactly the same. I just saw that picture and thought, “why is she shopping at a White Plains, NY grocery store when she lives in New Jersey?” before I remembered the concept of chain stores…
you’re so right! nothing like dumb tv and bon bons!! and love my StopnShop, although i’m in LI.