Tuesday
May272008
CAMP MOMMY 2008 - Orientation/Negotiation
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 09:27PM
Really, the first day (CAMP MOMMY 2008 - Launch!) was not so bad.
Many of you know, and I freely admit, I can be a teeny-tiny bit obsessive in planning and organizing, especially if I'm in a blue funk, cresting the edge of despair. I love my kids, and I love spending time with them, for the most part (outside of the bickering), but I know my dear, wonderful, prince of a hubby, and most working-outside-the-home men and women, can't imagine the impact of suddenly realizing, one day as you are working along on your own schedule and priorities -- Hey! Shut it all down for 11 weeks, because you are taking time off with the kids, woo hoo! You are now responsible for scheduling, feeding, entertaining, budgeting, monitoring, transporting, refereeing, tutoring, nagging and negotiating with 3 kids (and friends!) for 16+ hours a day. And could you schedule a couple of family trips in there, too?! It's a minor adjustment, to say the least.
The Biggest Challenge, for me, is this: Getting three children, ages 13, and soon-to-be 11 and 8, all moving in the same direction, at the same time. It's like herding cats, literally.
I've taken the OCD approach to CAMP MOMMY before.
See Camp Mommy '07 - 10 Daily Accomplishments
And how well that went: Camp Mommy '07: Day 2 - Crisis! Already!
I decided this year, for CAMP MOMMY 2008, I would follow my new philosophy of peace, optimism, love and harmony, to the best of my ability, with a new plan:
Keep It Simple, Stupid.
(Again, that would be me, not my lovely, very, very intelligent children.)
The kids woke up this morning to the following "Orientation" letter:
Camp Mommy: Summer 2008
Welcome to Camp Mommy!!!
We are going to have a GREAT time this summer,
and I am happy to share it with you.
We have a simple schedule, and a few rules:
1) We will not need TV during the day, 10am - 4pm.
Before the TV goes on in the afternoon:
a. Complete one page - Summer Bridge Activities
b. One hour personal reading
[This has already been modified, through negotiation, to two pages each, voluntarily, from their Summer Bridge Activities workbooks (Grades 2 - 3; 5 - 6; and 7 - 8)(Summer Bridge
books available at Amazon.com!), 1/2 hour of Family Reading, and 1/2 hour to 1 hour (or more!) any type of reading, which can include research and more in-depth on the Summer Bridge activities. It was a weak moment, but I think it will work out.]
c. Room clean/bed made/pick up your stuff
2) Wii/PlayStation - 1 hour/day
3) Computer Games - 1 hour/day
4) After lunch SWIM - friends over after 2pm
5) If you are "bored" or mean during the day - SPIN!
[Meaning, spin the Chore Wheel, which is a spinner with all kinds of exciting and helpful options and activities: Load/Unload Dishwasher; Clean a Bathroom; Outdoor Patrol (dog poop); Garbage; Wash a Window; Sweep a Floor; Vacuum a Rug; Dust Something; etc. There is one, small "FREE" space, but I think that's going to be Mom's Choice!;-)]
Camp Mommy Budget: $200/week - $40/day
We need to write out our list of adventures and Things To Do.
I will need help with breakfasts, snacks & lunches, so come up with some good ideas and ways to help.
8:30pm - Family Read
9:00pm - 7yo ADHD Phenom bedtime
10:00pm - 10yo Drama Queen & 13yo Puberty Angst Boy bedtime
You can stay up, but you must be in your room & quiet.
As I mentioned, there have already been changes and modifications. If nothing else this summer, my kids will learn win-win negotiating and debate strategies -- I will always listen, as long as they are negotiating intelligently and with respect.
I really like these Summer Bridge Activities
workbooks for the different grade levels, and the kids seem interested, if not completely jazzed, about them, too.
Many of you know, and I freely admit, I can be a teeny-tiny bit obsessive in planning and organizing, especially if I'm in a blue funk, cresting the edge of despair. I love my kids, and I love spending time with them, for the most part (outside of the bickering), but I know my dear, wonderful, prince of a hubby, and most working-outside-the-home men and women, can't imagine the impact of suddenly realizing, one day as you are working along on your own schedule and priorities -- Hey! Shut it all down for 11 weeks, because you are taking time off with the kids, woo hoo! You are now responsible for scheduling, feeding, entertaining, budgeting, monitoring, transporting, refereeing, tutoring, nagging and negotiating with 3 kids (and friends!) for 16+ hours a day. And could you schedule a couple of family trips in there, too?! It's a minor adjustment, to say the least.
The Biggest Challenge, for me, is this: Getting three children, ages 13, and soon-to-be 11 and 8, all moving in the same direction, at the same time. It's like herding cats, literally.
I've taken the OCD approach to CAMP MOMMY before.
See Camp Mommy '07 - 10 Daily Accomplishments
And how well that went: Camp Mommy '07: Day 2 - Crisis! Already!
I decided this year, for CAMP MOMMY 2008, I would follow my new philosophy of peace, optimism, love and harmony, to the best of my ability, with a new plan:
Keep It Simple, Stupid.
(Again, that would be me, not my lovely, very, very intelligent children.)
The kids woke up this morning to the following "Orientation" letter:
Camp Mommy: Summer 2008
Welcome to Camp Mommy!!!
We are going to have a GREAT time this summer,
and I am happy to share it with you.
We have a simple schedule, and a few rules:
1) We will not need TV during the day, 10am - 4pm.
Before the TV goes on in the afternoon:
a. Complete one page - Summer Bridge Activities
b. One hour personal reading
[This has already been modified, through negotiation, to two pages each, voluntarily, from their Summer Bridge Activities workbooks (Grades 2 - 3; 5 - 6; and 7 - 8)(Summer Bridge
books available at Amazon.com!), 1/2 hour of Family Reading, and 1/2 hour to 1 hour (or more!) any type of reading, which can include research and more in-depth on the Summer Bridge activities. It was a weak moment, but I think it will work out.]c. Room clean/bed made/pick up your stuff
2) Wii/PlayStation - 1 hour/day
3) Computer Games - 1 hour/day
4) After lunch SWIM - friends over after 2pm
5) If you are "bored" or mean during the day - SPIN!
[Meaning, spin the Chore Wheel, which is a spinner with all kinds of exciting and helpful options and activities: Load/Unload Dishwasher; Clean a Bathroom; Outdoor Patrol (dog poop); Garbage; Wash a Window; Sweep a Floor; Vacuum a Rug; Dust Something; etc. There is one, small "FREE" space, but I think that's going to be Mom's Choice!;-)]
Camp Mommy Budget: $200/week - $40/day
We need to write out our list of adventures and Things To Do.
I will need help with breakfasts, snacks & lunches, so come up with some good ideas and ways to help.
8:30pm - Family Read
9:00pm - 7yo ADHD Phenom bedtime
10:00pm - 10yo Drama Queen & 13yo Puberty Angst Boy bedtime
You can stay up, but you must be in your room & quiet.
As I mentioned, there have already been changes and modifications. If nothing else this summer, my kids will learn win-win negotiating and debate strategies -- I will always listen, as long as they are negotiating intelligently and with respect.
I really like these Summer Bridge Activities
workbooks for the different grade levels, and the kids seem interested, if not completely jazzed, about them, too.
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