While I'm at Work Today

Many moms and dads have to work every day.  This is not my goal.....my goal is to be a useless housewife.  I don't want to actually DO anything.  I don't want to clean or cook or greet my over-worked hubby at the door with a Vodka Tonic and a smile - that's so 1950's.  No, I've got loftier goals.  I want to help at my children's school most of the day, shop for random things - possibly for a charity I've decided is worthy of my time, when my kids get out of school I want to work with them on homework, take them to their extracurricular activities and volunteer my time at those too.  My main thing is that I really don't want to cook and clean....or budget.  I don't think those things are fun. Cooking is fun but it's always followed with cleaning and that is NOT fun.  And budgeting means you're not rich and that's definitely not fun.

Anyway, because I'm not a useless housewife (I really should have planned out my life choices better), I am at work today - right now actually.  And my kids are home with Dad - we work opposite schedules, me during the day and him in the evening, so our kids don't have to go to a babysitter or daycare after school or during the summer.  It works for us.  So, the kids are home with dad - they swim, go to the library, go out for ice cream and rent cheesy movies to watch.  He keeps them entertained but I hate that I'm missing out on so much and I know the kids miss me (and my head full of crafty ideas) too.  So today I'm going to write them a Treasure Hunt list.  Not for taking a walk because it's hot and that will only keep them busy for an hour anyway.  No, No - it'll be an all day event that they have to keep coming back to all day to finish.

Okay - I'm done with the list:

Mom's Treasure Hunt

One child brush their teeth while the other sings all of "On Top of Spaghetti"  Can you both do it?

Find:  something shaped like a star

Find:  a DVD that you've never watched

Find:  a green sock

Name as many countries as you can (have Dad write them down)

Have Dad watch you both do a back flip in the pool at the same time

Eat a red fruit 

Stack 3 cushions from the family room couch on top of each other and one person balance on top (on their belly) for as long as it take them so sing "Yankee Doodle" Can you both do it?

Find:  my black flip flops because I lost them

Find:  a can of vegetables

Find:  a children's book you've never read and read it

draw a picture for me

have a scoop of ice cream between 1:30pm and 2pm

play fetch with Veruca for at least 5 minutes

Find:  my blue bathing suit because I'm going swimming when I get home!

There are methods to this madness.  Obviously teeth brushing and fruit eating are healthy things they're doing everyday anyway and country naming and a book they've never read are learning activities.  Most of the other things are just to keep them busy and challenged for some of the day but I'll leave notes in the cupboard with the canned veggies and on my flip flops which I will hide somewhere like under the bench in the kitchen.  If I have a chance to stop by the store tonight I'll grab a bag of Hershey's kisses to put in the notes too.  Just one for each child since they're missing out on kisses from Mom.

They'll want me to do another the next day but I think I'll save it for once every two weeks or something.  I'm liking this idea of giving them a fun list of stuff to do though, so maybe each day I'll give them something they can do without me and without too much help from Dad because he's not to crafty.  I'll brainstorm a good list and post it tomorrow for anyone who's kids are starting to get tired of summer.  Weird kids.