For the past 6 days (4 of which were school days) our kids have been off for Spring Break. This has been the first time in a long while that they have had the entire break, because snow make-up days would always eat away at the time they were scheduled to have off. But because we've had such a mild winter, they were able to have almost a whole week of time at home.
What I came to realize over those 6 days was that their Spring Break was not a break for me. I thought it would be. I imagined our happy family nestled inside our happy home having a happy time together. But it was quite the opposite. The first few days we all had to adjust to each other being home at the same time for such a long period of time. Then, intermingled with this, were multiple activities and errands which required racing from here to there. Normally I love running errands because I love the thrill of coordinating where to go, the best route to take to get there, and all of the other things I can get accomplished while I am out. However, when you have three children to consider as you move about, those "extra" stops become negotiable. It's just too much for them to handle.
It's funny because when people ask me why I stopped working, I tell them "to be home for my kids". Initially I believed this to be the whole truth. Being a homemaker allows me to be in their schools, be there to see them onto and off of the bus, pick them up when they are sick, etc. But the bigger reason that I am home is because of me. It is because I am ineffective at working a 9-5 job and a 24-hour job at the same time. The Spring Break proved this to me loud and clear. I love my kids, but I also love my time at home without them. There, I said it...is that so wrong? The "job" that I do here while they are in school frees me up to give them time and attention when they are at home.
Yesterday was the last day at home for the kids. Today my Spring Break starts up again...
Amen.
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