Tomorrow is the last day of school. Summer means no homework, packed lunches, or dance class. It means beach, late nights playing outside, and maybe even the pool. However, to the working moms (and dads) it also means the beginning of the summer shuffle. The juggling act of getting work done and spending quality time with your children.
This has always been a struggle for me, and something that causes undue stress every summer. Poor Little J has attended more meetings with me during the summer months than she cares to remember. She has always been a trooper, but, of course, I have always had tremendous mommy guilt. Last summer, I swore to myself that this summer would be different.
For once, I actually planned ahead. In January, I contacted a teenager that I just adore and offered her a babysitting job this summer for about 20 hours a week. Thankfully she said yes. Twenty hours will give me plenty of time to attend meetings and get work done though the summer, but it will also allow me to spend true quality time with Little J.
Little J is excited to have a “friend” to play with and so is mommy. How do you handle the summer shuffle?
