Could anyone possibly love summer as much as I do?
I homeschool my three kids, and during the school year we're busy. I have two high schoolers and a middle schooler, and college applications are coming up in a year. The yes-Mom-I-still-want-to-do-Science-Team-and-archery-lessons-and-community-college-classes-and-co-op-classes-and-SAT-prep-and-AP-classes-and-novel-writing-and-music-lessons-and-robot-building-and-geography-book-editing-and-rock-band-and-non-profit-starting-and-music-organization-interning-and-girls'-STEM-group-volunteering-and-Spanish-and-Russian-and-driver's-licence-permit-and-oh-yeah-sleeping-has-to-fit-in-there-somewhere kind of busy.
But during the summer, we take a much-anticipated break and do things we don't get a chance to do during the school year. I relish getting up when I leisurely awake; doing fun projects around the house that go untouched after September; hanging out with friends that I don't see often enough; and yes, playing games and goofing off with my family all day long some days.
I often hear parents say how ready they are for school to start, and that's after the first couple of weeks of summer! So, what's the difference between those families and mine?
Here's my best guess. Because I've done my best to be as attached as possible, my kids still like me, and I like them. And as they get older, I like them more and more. (Yes, even through their teen years!)
When they were little - and I had some extremely difficult days (… and even weeks and months, I won't lie) trying to figure out this AP parenting thing - I spent almost all of my effort trying to meet the needs of my kids in a balanced way. (The rest of it went to maintaining my sanity.) Some days I failed miserably, and other days I did okay. But my kids always knew I was trying and they loved me for it. Still do.
We grew together and learned together. We figured out - pretty well - how to meet each other's needs. So now, now that they're verging on become adults, it's all paying off. I'm seeing the adults they're destined to be.
We like each other. We spend time together. We talk, laugh, joke, play together.
And I wish summer could go on forever.
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This month we're pleased to have two new Leaders join us! Please help us welcome Ashley Nebeker, API of Fresno, California, and Autumn McCarthy, of Collin County API, Texas.
Camille North,
API Links Editor
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