Out of all the seasons, summer, by far, is the favourite around my household. Don’t get me wrong we’re fans of all 4(what other choice do we have right?) but my crew is more into shorts and flip flops than toques and snow shoes.
Summer is where it’s at, parks, bike rides, pools, splash pads, there is so much to do, but here’s the rub. What I love the most about June, July, and August also causes the most grief, and that is the sunshine. There is nothing I like more than brightness; the cold dark evenings in the winter put me in a funk. Is there anything more depressing than having to turn your outdoor lights on at 4:30pm? Gross. In the summer what you gain in electricity, you lose in sleep. When it’s 9pm but still looks like noon, it’s almost impossible to put the kids down. My street is awesome because it’s full of kids but even on a late Tuesday evening it looks like a Saturday at Wonderland. I’m surprised my kids are asking to have the Ghostster Coaster built on our driveway to enjoy at dusk.
My kids don’t realize 8pm isn’t a floating number. 8 is 8, but because it’s so bright out they don’t think it’s bed time. They have it in their adorable little heads that they shouldn’t go to bed until the “sun goes to bed”. I kid you not I have a better chance of convincing the actual sun to call it a night by 8pm then I do my sons.
It’s not just the bright evenings that prevents them from going to bed, it’s also how much energy they have. It’s like they’re made of solar energy and requires the sun to charge them like a battery. They go from being my boys and somehow turn into Robin Williams. You know how hard it is to put Mork to bed?
To be honest I think I’m a little jealous of them. I don’t know how they play all day in the heat, sun, humidity, and aren’t exhausted by dinner time. I run up a flight of stairs in this heat and I need an intravenous.
I’ve even assumed bathing them would help but it does the complete opposite, it gives them a second wind. What’s in that bottle, tear free shampoo or an energy drink? Oh well there isn’t too much you can do about it. Deep down I’m just happy they’re having fun for 16 hours a day. It’s just a little weird being 37 years old and going to bed before your toddlers.
Kids, if your reading this, goodnight, sleep tight, love you, daddy’s going night-night
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