Monday Morning - Last week of school

It is almost upon us. The last day of school. I will shortly have 5 unskilled laborers on my hands. In addition to unskilled, they are unmotivated and unreliable. What's a mother, er, I mean a boss, to do? Get organized, that's what. I realize that most parents don't view their children with my jaundiced eye. Most parents look at their offspring and see sweet little darlings needing to be entertained and kept happy through the long, boring summer months. Me, I see a labor pool waiting to be utilized in the most efficient manner possible. So I started making lists and schedules weeks ago. I think I have things under control. I think I'm ready for the onslaught.

We start with the end of this week. The kids are done Thursday this year (weird, I don't remember it being Thursday before, but perhaps my memory isn't what it used to be...) and so there is this little end of the week hanging there. It's too late in the week to start any new schedule (All new schedules should begin on Mondays. Period. Diets, too, but that's another post.) I intend to use the 2 dangling days to clean out bedrooms and deep clean the house so that we can really start fresh on, you got it, Monday.

Monday morning will begin the summer schedule (see below); it seems brutal on it's face, what with the getting up at 5am and working all morning, but look at the afternoons. If they complete their work in the allotted time (very doable) they get the entire afternoon to devote to their own interests. That's a pretty good work schedule to my way of thinking. Then they have a very short stint of work, exactly the same as they did before dinner during the school year. This is followed by what? Another bunch of leisure time. Family time!! My husband has promised me that if he can truly get up and work all day (no afternoon siestas for him) then he will be done after dinner and we will spend quality family time every day. We tried this last summer as well, and it worked out most of the time. It's a schedule I really like. But my real point is, it's really quite easy for the kids. Even though I should get several hours of work out of them daily, they still have plenty of free time to do those summer need-to's, like march in parades and drink lemonades and count all the stars in the sky.

I guess the most important thing to me is that I have a schedule set down. If I deviate, that's fine. I can go with the flow, turn on a dime, do the unexpected. As long as we all know what we're supposed to be doing. As long as I have a framework to go back to when I need it. As long as I have a list.