Climb More Trees
Well, I’ve done it already. I forgot my kids.
Not exactly. I remember their names. I just can’t keep the massive summer schedule in order and forgot to get them a ride home from swim practice. Oops.
Never fear – my intelligent son found himself a ride. But this leads me to the realization that our summer schedule is just rediculous.
8am Swimteam practice Thomas and Daniel
9am Swimteam practice Max
11am Swim lesson Annabelle
12:30 Tennis lessons Thomas
1:00 Tennis tournament Max
2:30 Bowling party Daniel
4:00 Swimteam all kids
6:15 Baseball game Max
6:30 Baseball practice Thomas
And that was just MONDAY!
It made me think of this kid…
When we visited his native home, he spent 2 hours climbing trees, gathering acai berries, and generally goofing around. He taught the other boys how to climb a tree using a cloth sling around the feet.
Isn’t that what kids are supposed to do? Climb trees? I struggle with this: how much is too much? I find myself getting caught up in the furry of it all.
The other day Dalai T started crying when I told him to get ready for afternoon swim practice. I immediately started getting hard ball on him until I realized: WHO THE HELL CARES? The dude is not striving to be an olympic swimmer!
I can easily find myself getting obsessed with the “schedule” and let the anxiety build up as I rush the kids from activity to activity. I constantly have to remind myself that being 10 minutes late the the 24th swim practice for a 6 year old isn’t life altering.
Laughing, playing and climbing trees, however, is…
Thus, this summer, one of my MAJOR GOALS is to lighten up, let some things go, and enjoy. I want to have fun, not just feel controlled by the calendar! So, when I opened up my email this morning, and read my weekly “Notes from the Universe” I felt like it was meant just for me:
Think of every single thing that you “have to” do to get through a day, lina, as things you “get to” do… before your turn is over.
This is really wonderful – you know we all struggle with this and you are not alone! The tree pics are awesome – you know I love that Dalai T!
You mean the race to nowhere?
You got it!
it’s good to remember we are human be-ings not human do-ings
God, I love that…
Loving this post!
Thank you!
Our days look pretty much as chaotic as yours. Thanks for the much needed reminder about keeping it all in perspective! (And love those tree climbing picks =)
Aren’t those boys precious :)
I LOVED this! I printed it in HUGE font and slipped in a page protector to leave in the car as the daily reminder…What’s it all about anyway? You captured my thinking completely. I’m ready to climb another tree :-) xo, M
I totally feel you on the schedule -i have 8 weddings, two bachelorette parties, one rehearsal dinner and one bridal shower in the next 6 weeks as well as working full time night shift, and I had to make a detailed to-do list for each event so I wouldnt lose my mind. I like that quote about ‘get to do’ instead of ‘have to do’ but i still feel like if it were up to me, i wouldn’t spend my day booking plane trips and buying wedding gifts. i’d be doing something i wanted to be doing. i’m often torn between suck-it-up-and-do-it vs call the whole thing off and not go because its not what i really want to be doing. However, i laughed out loud when i read “i immediately started getting hard ball on him until i realized WHO THE HELL CARES” lol
Wow, that is A LOT to do! I think the key is the moment that you decided you are going to go, then you have to try to have a good “I get to do this” attitude about it! Maybe you will meet someone so interesting that you will think, “I’m so thankful that I went!” Have fun :)
Fantastic!!! And I dread the day all 4 of mine are on swim team/sports!! We only have 2 doing it right now!!! Aaack!!!
Hi friend of Melanie’s :) You have 4 kids too??? The only thing i can say is you get used to it…and the little kids kind of get the shaft and are lucky if they are allowed one activity! That is probably why they are more normal :)