The second one of my kids hints the words, “I’m bored,” I start acting like my mother. This can be a good thing…and a not so good thing.

We recently came back from a trip to Martha’s Vineyard. The sand was still stuck to the back of my legs when my 8-year-old starts in with the mom-there-is-nothing-to-do-oh-my-goodness-what-am-I-gonna-do-I’m-so-bored-isms. I respond the way moms responded in the 1950’s, hoping there won’t be any negative consequences. “Go play.”

But there was no one to play with on that particular day. I knew it. She knew it. Even the dog knew it. Literally, everyone was out of town on our street. (My 11-year-old, mind you, was happily glued to his iPad in one of the three rooms where we have an obnoxious window air-conditioning unit blasting.) I was too fried to plan a play date or frankly do anything special (besides picking up groceries and unpacking). Heck, we just came back from a week away in the Vineyard and avoided Jaws! Then, I took a look at my car. It was unrecognizable. I’m not sure where the strands of dog fur ended and the sand began. I knew JUST what to do. “Honey, you’re going to help mommy wash the car.” We vacuumed, wiped and shined that baby. Then we vacuumed some more. We cleaned until my daughter realized just how exhausted she was too. Mommy mission accomplished. At least for another summer day!

Because I get how busy moms get, I’m extending the deadline for MOMMY INSANITY STORIES & DESSERT RECIPES to August 31! Remember, your story or dessert recipe could be in my next book! Contact me today at jackie@ventingsessions.com!

This is an easy one: Go for a bike ride with your kid(s). This is how I started my day today. And I feel 8 again! (Riding in 77-degree New England weather helps.) And I’d advise against wearing white shorts. 🙂 Here is a link to some fun and inexpensive ways to enjoy the summer with your kids: http://voices.yahoo.com/inexpensive-ways-enjoy-summer-children-1426105.html?cat=25

By the way, should you decide to NOT indulge in ice cream with your kids, be very careful NOT to buy all natural Greek yogurt bars. They taste like……cold wood. Just go for the ice cream sundae and exercise in the morning!

Don’t you just love spontaneous neighborhood play dates? Oh, the things you can do when your kids are out of the house for even the tiniest blocks of time. I once fit in a long conference call, folded several loads of laundry and swept and mopped my kitchen floor, without ever having to hang up the phone. Had my kids been in the house on this particularly busy afternoon, those clothes would still be piled on top of the dryer and my kitchen floor would resemble a diner after lunch time. I’d definitely be locked in the bathroom just to hear my own voice. Now stop your judging.  I’m not a play date whore.  I mean, well, you know what I mean. What I’m trying to say is I try to reciprocate when it comes to play dates. We like to host mega play dates at our home. There have been times when it looks like we’re having a birthday party in my backyard because there are so many kids here at one time. I get to be that Kool Aid mom I always wanted to be. (At least for a couple of hours before the wheels come off and I start to snap!)