Last week was Spring Break for my kids. It came on the heels of three half-days, so by the time Monday rolled around, I had already had my fill of “kid time.” It was also the first week of our “Re-Lent,” or “Lent, Part II” … What was I thinking?
First, let me explain what “Re-Lent” is since I made it up. Every year, like most practicing Catholics, the boys and I give up something for Lent. Exactly what the kids sacrifice for 40+ days is their choice, but it has to be something that they will actually miss. Like their iPads, phone or sweets. Not homework, chores or vegetables as they offer up each year. I usually give up cursing and chocolate … I’m not very successful, truthfully. Anyway, this year we forgot to give up stuff for Lent. Feeling like a bad Catholic, I decided to redeem myself and save the boys’ souls by declaring March 30th the beginning of “Re-Lent” in the Tarr household. Like my “Resolution Do-Over” of 2014 (click here to read that post), we’d simply start over. The plan was this: Start Lent on March 30th and add twenty extra days to the end as a penalty. “Re-Lent” (or “Lent, Part II) would be a 63-day sacrifice period, lasting until Memorial Day. The kids were going to hate me, but my stomach and conscience were going to love me.
As for Spring Break, we decided not to travel this year. Last year’s road trip to South Carolina was (mostly) fun, (click here to read last year’s four-part blog series about our spring break escapades), but a vacation getaway wasn’t in the cards this time. “Staycation” here we come! Or is it, here we stay? Anyway, I had a few fun activities planned for the boys, mixed in with a few not-so-fun things, like dental cleanings and Easter shopping, to make the week stress-free and enjoyable. We started out strong, but quickly lost steam as the week dwindled and the togetherness grew. It wasn’t the worst week, but it wasn’t the best either. Here’s what I learned from Spring Break, 2015:
- A break from our routine is good, but nine days is too much for us
- Observing Lent (or, in our case, “Re-Lent”) sucks when the kids are out of school
- Staycation ≠ Vacation. Can you say, Spring No Break?!
- Trying to write while the kids are home is nearly impossible, thus my blog silence last week
- I NEED my morning gym time to stay sane
- My kids love each other … until they can’t stand each other
- Adding friends to the mix makes everything more fun
- Sometimes the best days are the unplanned days
- The week would have been worse if my boys were still toddlers
- I love my kids, but I love them more when I get a regular break from them
- Next year, we are going away!
Only 44 more days of “Re-Lent” and just 65 days until school’s out for summer break … Will we make it?
– LJDT
