Around the World--or Summer Drama

     So, I used to be a preschool teacher. I worked at it for about 17 years and I loved it, with the exception of the drama caused by over active personalities and a cheap boss.  With this in mind, perhaps you will understand my need to fill my summer with themed weeks and daily challenges.  This was the kickoff for Camp (insert last name here.)  

     We started off with an Around the World theme, and I went crazy with decorating and planning.  With glee I hung nets and put up tiki decorations for the Polynesian Islands, I pinned an Eiffel Tower and a gargoyle to the window shade for France, ditto with the Opera House and a boomerang for Australia.  The first "challenge" for the theme was a 3 minute skiing challenge over in Switzerland (also known as our elliptical.)

     Yesterday we drank "tropical drinks" from coconuts (I used a Shirley Temple but you could mix it up) and then mosied on over to Mexico for tortillas and salsa.

The kids loved it, and they were thrilled to hear that this morning I was setting up a table over in Paris for the crepes we would be enjoying.  (I should mention here that we have to eat gluten free due to celiac disease, so these are homemade crepes, and not the easiest to make.) 

     Then came the drama.  I made two little paper berets (yes, I am aware Parisiens don't wander around in berets...but I was going for cute.  Sue me.)  Then I mentioned mustaches.  All I said was (in a laughing tone) that for their crepes they would have to wear a beret and a mustache and it was instant pandemonium.  Punkgirl went so far at one point as to call me a jerk, at which point I sent her to her room.  Don't get me wrong--I know it's mean and evil to make them wear a beret and a mustache.  But I won't tolerate sheer disrespect...so off to her room she went. As I pondered why my two usually willing children were suddenly convinced that my ideas were just plain dumb, my husband called them back.  Coffeeguy was livid that I had spent all day the day before coming up with decorations and games and foods on our very limited budget, only to have them oh so rudely throw my idea in my face.  I was pretty pissed too.  

     I got an apology from both, although I am unsure how sincere they were!  Once they were sufficiently chastised,  they sat at the table with the damn berets on, MOSTLY pleasantly, especially after they saw the lovely golden crepes, fancy strawberry jam, bananas, and sugar!  

     We then went to the "Persian Bazaar" (aka the yard sale next door) to haggle, and came back with a few more fun items.  We had tea and scones in England, and all was well.  Dammit.

     Suck at home moms, how do you keep your kids from killing each other? And what are the consequences when they don't appreciate it?

Around the World but Alas, No Zoo

     The zoo was supposed to be free today.  I got up, excited by the prospect. I like to have "themes" in the summer (a habit I formed from 17 years of working as a Preschool teacher/administrator.) This week, the beginning of summer, is "Around the World Week."  The zoo in question has, for just this month, animals from Australia.  Eureka!  Perfect for my theme.

     We woke up anxious to go, hoping to see the joeys and budgies, not daunted by the grey skies that were threatening a little rain.  Not daunted, that is, until the skies opened up and a monsoon came forth.  My heart sank.  Punkgirl would be so disappointed.  I wracked my brain for some indoor activity that would tempt her as much as THE ZOO.  It would have to be something really awesome, and my funds were limited--after all, the zoo was going to be free, so I didn't budget for more than a little gas!  

     I thought and thought, jotting down ideas and sweating a little.  Coffeeguy suggested pedicures, which would have been great, but being notoriously cheap, the value for my money didn't appeal to me.  Ok.  I had two bowling alleys a few towns over that were pretty cheap, one tenpin, one candle pin.  I had the arcade the next town over.  And then there was the mall, right in my town, but again, funds were limited, and Punkgirl is pretty particular about where she spends her time.  I could go from hero to zero in the blink of an eye, and I knew it.

     I hemmed and hawed, and came to Punkgirl with my list, anticipating an angry sulk that we were going to miss the zoo.  I was pleasantly surprised that she was ok with missing the zoo because "I don't really want to get all wet in the rain, so the animals probably won't want to either."  I gave her my choices, mentally calculating the amount I would be wasti--er, spending.  As a last minute throw-in, I mentioned we could go to Pinkberry.  For those of you that don't know, Pinkberry makes fabulously flavored frozen yogurt with a plethora of toppings, ranging from fresh fruit to chopped coconut to mini m&ms.  It's yummy, fairly inexpensive, but no way a replacement for the zoo.  

     Unless you're Punkgirl.  Her eyes lit up, she said "Yes, yes, yes!" before I even finished my sentence, and we were settled.  I asked her if she was sure, and she looked at me as though I had lost my mind.  I made out with spending less than ten bucks!  Thank you Pinkberry, for being magically delicious!

     Now, what about Happyboy?  Well...I'm sorry to tell you that Happyboy was grounded.  Summer is here, so he's testing me to see how I will respond, and yesterday when he told me he would do his chore IF I told him where we were going, and I of course replied "Do your chore and I'll tell you where we're going!" I gave him to the count of 5, which was very generous on my part,...I warmed him that if he didn't do his chore he wasn't going...and once he didn't do as he was told, I had to follow through with my threat.  He wouldn't have gone to the zoo, and he didn't get to go to Pinkberry.  He took it mostly well, even when he thought we were going to the zoo, although he asked me to "take lots of pictures!"  

     Anyway, the zoo was just one of many planned activities.  We are going to go crazy and decorate the house like different countries, eat new foods, learn new words, and do arts and crafts geared around different countries.  I am sure I am looking forward to it more than either Punkgirl or Happyboy!

     Suck at home moms, what do you do to make the summer fun?