Working Mom Worries: Summertime

Having a child in daycare comes with perks. You always have somewhere to take you child, even in the summer. From seven to six, you know you've got backup. And what a great feeling that is when you're a working mom.

So, as kindergarten started last year, the looming question started nagging at my head. What is Walker going to do in the summer? How am I going to be able to find the best camps? How am I going to be able to afford said camps when I'm already paying tons of cash for private school? Will the office understand I may need a little flex in my schedule? How much time can we spend at the beach (and still have a job)?

I reached out to some local moms who had been there, done that and knew the best camps. I also reached out to some moms that didn't really understand my plight because they stayed at home and didn't really have to send their kids to camp unless they just wanted to get them out of the house.

But this was a necessity for me, to put together a plan. To figure out where my little guy was going to hang for 12 weeks. Preferably somewhere fun, somewhere that wasn't going to kill my bank account and somewhere I felt comfortable leaving him.

When summer started, I don't quite think Walker knew what the expect either, because it's been his first real summer. For about a week he kept waking up and asking me if he had school that day. 

But as usual, things came (and are still coming) together. I reached out to my mom (who is retired) and my sister (who is a teacher with the summers off) and asked them if they could provide some help. They have been lifesavers this summer. So Mike watches Walker on Mondays, my mom comes on Tuesdays, spends the night and takes Walker back home with her on Wednesdays. My sis has been providing Auntie camp on Thursdays and Fridays in Roxboro. We've done that about three weeks so far. It's been quiet around here with Walker away, but gives Mike and I some time together.

We did the beach for two weeks, and one week of camp so far (more about that another day because it deserves its own post!) and are quickly working our way through the summer!

Sure, it's logistic-intense and complicated, but it works for us and certainly keeps things interesting!
But of course, new worries replace the old. Currently swirling in my brain: How the heck am I ever going to get this kid back in school because he's loving summer so much?