So who else is ready for summer!? I think I am more excited this year than I have ever been for school to get out. I usually love my schedule, but not this year! Addison gets of Kindergarten at 12:40 three days a week, 1:40 another day and 12:30 on early out day. Ellie is out at 2:30 every day except for early out day. NOT an easy schedule to remember. NOT an easy pickup schedule when you have a napping baby. The carpool schedule I worked out with neighbors at the beginning of the year is so complicated with which kids are coming and going (and which mom is doing what pick-up) we needed a spreadsheet to map it all out. Throw in a wild toddler, homework, a few after school activities, therapy for that wild toddler (four days a week), and oh yeah… I’m building a house! All that has equaled one burned out mom. I completely realize that there are moms everywhere with more than three kids who have even more on their plate. Everyone is different and I think as a mom you know when you’ve hit your personal limit. I’ve hit my limit. Hit my limit hard and am maybe hanging a bit on the other side by a very thin thread. :) My kindergartner has had a wonderful year and I have loved our extra time together, but I desperately need my two girls on the same schedule. So for that reason alone I am counting down the days until summer and next Fall! I know things will still be busy, but just having my girls’ schedule in sync will make a world of difference for me (and for my napping boy!).
To get the girls as excited as I am for the upcoming season, I pulled out last year’s “Summer To-Do list” and we started brainstorming ideas for this summer.
We completed almost everything on our list last summer. Aside from a few minor activities like Ellie’s addition to the list…
“get a puppy.” I’m positive that will make it on this year’s list as well. I’m even more positive that it won’t be checked off at the end of the summer.
I’m also thinking it would be fun to make a list of books for the girls to read and maybe some fun movies I’d love to show them this summer.
Another list that will be taped to our back door soon is my annual summer “get out the door list.”
A must have for summer activities if you have little ones. It has been especially helpful to me when I’ve had a baby – they require so much STUFF.
Yes… we are counting down around here.
Seeing the mermaids and princesses floating in the pool will be a welcome sight this year!
BRING IT ON!! :)
xoxo, Erin
Am I the only one who hates these scheduled “early out” days that they have in the school systems now? I mean, what is the deal with that crazy schedule that’s almost impossible to remember? Back when I was in school….(my kids hear this phrase waaaay too much!)….. we all started at 8:10 and were out at 3:00 Monday thru Friday. Every day was the same! If you ask me, our moms had it easy! How hard is that schedule to remember? These days, it’s “late start day” on Wednesday for my middle schooler, where instead of 8:10am they start at 9:10am. Then on Wednesdays my elementary daughter has “early out day” where she gets out of school at 1:10pm instead of 2:20. So I have one starting late that day and one getting out early. Confusing much? You bet! Then we have “early birds” and “late owls” for Kindergarteners, and each is scheduled an hour behind the other for both start times and get out times. Then my high schoolers have “late start day” on alternating Wednesdays! I never know when those Wednesdays are because my brain just can’t keep up with the schedule.
No wonder we see so many kids sitting in the school’s office after school, waiting for their parents to come pick them up — their parents lost track of which day it was!!
Wow, your school hours system is tricky! Just 8:30 to 3pm for us 5 days a week here in Oz. I remember being insanely jealous last year when you posted your Summer To Do List and we were hitting winter (not that I have anything to complain about with our winter, just like yours in San Diego I think but colder at night) and ………I’m insanely jealous again now!!! But, I know it wont be long and I’ll be getting excited about spring here so I’ll suck up standing in the cold at soccer until then :) Oh! and I know exactly what you mean by hitting your limit! I only have a 3 and 6 year old, but teaching two days, studying, having a husband who works 7 days a week 15 hours a day at our convenience store and a DOG that he brought home I have smacked into that wall so fast my head spins, but life is good (most of the time!!) Hope your summer arrives extra fast for you Erin and I cant wait to see more house stuff and your summer fun, Emma
That schedule would drive me insane. I thought it was bad when our two were on different schedules when the oldest was high school the younger middle school (our elementary is 8:20-3:20, middle 9:20-4, high school 7:20-2:10). Having on start late and the other get out early, I felt I was back to preschool.
I had a dear friend who moved to CA early on and was telling us about the school day schedule. CRAZY!
Sounds like you have a wonderful summer planned.
That’s a crazy schedule for parents. But when I was teaching, I would have loved some extra planning time. Here in Maryland, our kindergarten runs full day :( My daughter will start one year from August and I already break out in a sweat when I think about it. Obviously she’s the first! We will have had 2 years of preschool to get used to being away, but it still seems like so much for a 5 year old. It’s 8-3- ahhhh! Okay, better go practice some breathing exercises and remind myself I have 15 months until this happens!
Oh and it’s a special treat when I check and there is a post even though there was one yesterday!
I agree, I am SO ready for summer!! My schedule isn’t as hectic as yours but i am ready to not have to rush and make sure we are on time for school and dance class! I love the idea of an out the door list! I will definitely be making one!
I loved your list last year. Can’t wait to see this year’s!! And I can’t wait until my little one is old enough to help me make one (that will be next summer).
Have a wonderful summer :)
Erin…would you pretty, pretty, please consider submitting your handwritten font to KevinandAmanda.com??? Would love to see your font all over my house! :)
Oh my gosh, that is a crazy schedule! I remember feeling that way last year when I had a kindergartener and a younger brother who still napped. This year it’s the after school activities that are killing me and a move as well. I can’t wait for July 1st when all will be over with and I can enjoy the summer with my three :) I have my youngest starting kinder in the fall (he’s my little buddy, so that’s going to be hard!) but we won’t have too bad a schedule as the school system here just changed to full day kinder, so all three will be 8-2 every day. Can’t believe my baby will be in school already! Anyways, I ramble, can’t wait to see your summer list as I so enjoyed last years’ :) Take care Erin and try to hang on :)
Couldn’t agree more about counting down the days until summer! My whole house is antsy to start and I can’t wait until I get to have my littles home more often. Fingers crossed we can all make it through all of the end-of-year festivities!
I really like this idea. It will help me so much stay on task this summer if I do that. Thanks for sharing
Your get out the door list is genius! I need to make one of these now that I have two babies…twice as much stuff to remember.
Thanks everyone! I know! What is up with California school schedules!? I’ll figure it all out by the time my kids graduate. :)
Anonymous – thanks for the sweet comment about my handwriting! I’ll have to look into that sometime. :)
I agree with wanting Summer to come, I have a teenager & 9 yr old & as they get older waking them up for school gets SO much harder, especially my teenager! I am counting the days till summer break! My kids don’t get out till June 15…
I’m glad you are excited for summer, I am DREADING it this year!
Oh, and I had to laugh that you didn’t check off “Library” last year! Come on Erin, take your kids to the library! That is one of my saving graces during summer, we go every week!
I remember this list from last year and we just made our own last week! Even though my guys are little, and our schedule doesn’t really change, I’m excited for our summer! Those school start and stop times sound crazy!!! Is this what I have to look forward to with San Diego schools?!?! ~gina
I also LOVE your ‘Get Out The Door List’! I’m totally going to make one for our house!
I love your summer to do list that we copied last year! We had fun putting this summer’s together last week! Love your blog Erin, thanks!!!