Back in the Saddle

I came back.  As much fun as it was to be away with no routine, no exercise, and to literally eat anything that came my way, it is time to move on.

The husband goes back to work tomorrow, but the kids still have a week to get back into the swing of having a schedule to follow.  Which is good, I keep telling myself.  Good for them.  I try not to dwell on the fact that it's not so good for me.  Because my instinct is to just jump right back into the routine.  Cold turkey.  Bedtimes, chores, food rules, etc.  I need the structure.  And so do they.

But they also need to wind down.  It's been 2 weeks of crazy overstimulation.  Too much sugar.  Too much screen time.  Too little sleep.  And now we're paying the price, because 2/3 are sick.  So they need time to heal.  Time to settle in.  Time to adapt once more to Our Routine.

And I keep telling myself this week will be good, even though I don't have much of a plan.  Because it will be.  We will find many things to keep us busy.  Tomorrow is market day - fresh fruits and veggies, hooray!  And then there are decorations to take down, floors to sweep, and new toys to play with.  My Lack of a Plan is what brings the fear and dread.

It's the same old story.  In a routine with structure, good.  Out of the routine, fun.  Getting back into the routine, scary.  But we've done it before, and we'll do it again.  Am I the only one with this lack of confidence?  I don't think so, but maybe I'm the only one to write about how inadequate I feel to Parent my children.  They are mine, after all.  And I love them to pieces.  Today we watched a cartoon movie and I was a blubbering fool when we watched the part where the kid grows up and goes to college.  A cartoon!  And yet I worry that we won't make it through this week together.

Silly Mommy. Time to quit blabbing and Just Do It.  The joy is in the journey, right?  Well, away we go.