I thrive off of routine, I am not even going to lie. Every year, when summer comes along I am very regimented and I start the boys on their reading schedule on July 5th, to be exact. I create a calendar and we follow through. It’s hard to turn off my inner teacher…but this summer I sent her to H-E-L-L !!!
This summer I wanted something different for my boys! Did they learn and are they still learning? Of course!!! This year though, I needed to switch it up. I didn’t want to be a drill sergeant for once and I mean, if they wanted to just relax and be lazy…I let them! I didn’t get all upset and act like it was the end of the world! They need time to be kids too. There are many times I see Facebook statuses where people are just lounging about….why can’t kids do the same?
Turning my inner teacher off and sending her to hell for the summer (hey, it was hot here too!), I saw my kids were much calmer yet still learning as I shared in a few posts on Instagram. Honestly, I’m proud to say I wasn’t even stressing them out about their summer packets— honest! They were at ease and our day just flowed. We would read and get learning things done but we wouldn’t stress. I mean, those who know me know that I am ON IT!!!! So, for me to have this attitude is quite odd… and awesome!
I am learning (thanks to my hubby) and amazing friends that life is way too short. I need to cherish every single NANO second because I will NEVER get them back. I want to build memories with my boys and let them look back years from now and say, “Mami made time for us and I remember us doing……”. It’s important for me that they know that they are valued, loved, important, and that they come FIRST!!!! I am NOT saying school isn’t important, don’t misunderstand me. I am saying that they have enough time during the school year to sit in the classroom and get Common Core shoved down their throat. They’ll just receive the learning process in a different way with me and that’s more than okay.
Late night reading with my cutie! We love us some @toddparr #MommyTeaches #literacy #Summer2015 A photo posted by EileenCCampos (@eileenccampos) on
That being said… I haven’t gone school shopping yet (shocker!!) but that too can wait. My summer isn’t over and years ago everything would have been purchased and labeled weeks in advance…but again, I sent that inner teacher to hell this summer. This MommyTeacher will savor every last morsel of this break with her children in paradise because our time together is priceless. For me, I will NEVER get these moments back so I am going to make every moment count!!!
Watch me!!!
The books and learning will always be there it is what they capture and remember will live most with them