Last day of School

Today is the last day of the school year for my little ones. (I guess it is really my big girls, since I refer to Amber and Samantha as my little ones.) I am somewhat happy about it and somewhat sad. I am happy that I don't have to wake up sleepy kids at 6:30 in the morning when they have stayed up almost every night of the week until at least 10pm no matter how early we put them to bed. Bedtime around here for school kids is about 7:30 but it seems like the last two or three weeks they are all up and crawling around, rearranging their rooms, or needing drinks or bathroom breaks until at least 9:30 or 10. It makes for very unpleasant mornings of trying to get them to move out of bed and be out the door by 7:30 to catch the bus.

This morning was Emily's grumpy morning, but they have all had it many times. It is worse when there is more than one that is being grumpy. It starts with someone looking at someone, and then I hear yelling, "Stop that!" usually followed by the persons name that is bothering the grumpy one. Then a little time passes (a matter of seconds) and then it is yelled again, "Stop it!" again perhaps with the person's name yelled as well. This morning it was crying, and "You only care about them, you don't even care about me." Then I heard "no one even likes me!" It doesn't seem to matter what you do, often the one that is being yelled at is just sitting there eating breakfast not bothering the grumpy one. It doesn't seem to matter, they still get yelled at. I have sat and watched this many mornings, they just yell for really NO reason at all. I try to interfere and protect the innocent one that is getting yelled at for staring, eating noisy, looking at them, holding their head wrong, swinging their feet, being too close, talking, or any small thing that seems to be a made up reason. All my efforts are usually failures in protecting the innocent, the grumpy one normally wins by making me grumpy too.

I feel bad for those that have to be around the grumpy one, because no matter what you do you get yelled at. I don't know what the solution to the problem is other than more sleep. I try to kind of isolate the grumpy girl but it doesn't always work. One of the other girls end up needing to go near to use the bathroom or find shoes or something. Amber even said, "Emily is frustrated," as Emily was screaming, crying, and stomping on the stairs.

I am sad to see the end of the school year in that the kids will not be seeing some of their friends and having those fun school projects and school work. I have plans to do a schedule this summer for the kids which would involve fun stuff, school stuff, and house work that will hopefully help the boredom of the summer and help me out too. I am so good at planning things out, and coming up with ideas, I lack the follow through to keep the program in motion. Hopefully with some poster boards posting schedules and the kids help we can keep up with a schedule that would allow help with school work, a reading program, and some fun family time as well. I don't want the kids watching TV all summer long. I am sure once we have a yard that will help, since then we can set up our trampoline and hopefully get a playground sometime this summer.

Today being the last day of school, the kids go to school at 8 and get out at 9:30, seems kind of silly huh! Oh well, I guess what ever works. The kids don't have anything at school, and they even told them NOT to bring any backpacks today. I am glad the school year is over in a way, and then in other ways, I am going to miss the time I have to get things done without having to entertain and wait on 3 other kids.

I am looking forward to a great summer!! (and hopefully less grumpy girls in the morning)