OK! We made it through May!
My kids just finished school, so I have a few months ahead of trying to figure out how I'm going to get work done while they're home.
Summer With Kids
I mentioned in the last update that I'm working on delegation, on finding better support systems, and on better managing my workload as a part-time single parent.
Summer's coming up. That means the hours every day that I used to get work done while they're at school (and eating school lunches) now becomes hours I will try to get work done while preparing their lunches, breaking up their fights, and trying to be present with them and keep them from living on screens while still trying to get work done.
Here's what I've got so far for plans... maybe this will help other parents in the same situation? Or maybe I'm just sharing what I'm doing so y'all know. Either way, here you have it:
- YMCA: The local YMCA allows you to work for up to two hours a day while your kids hang out. The bummer is, the kids have done that before and think it's boring. So, I'm going to try a different YMCA in Atlanta, hoping they may have more programs for kids.
- Summer camps: Sadly, this isn't much of an option for us for reasons I won't go into here, but I will at least have my son in soccer camp for one week this summer.
- Family time: We'll spend a week in Michigan with my family; I may get a bit of work done there, but I probably won't, but that's fine... I'll get quality time with my family and they'll get to hang out
with cousins and grandma and grandpa and aunts and uncles.
- Chores: They have chores they have to do as a part of being active members in the family. They're REALLY going to get them done this summer!
- Books: These kids read like crazy. We're going to the library non-stop so they will always have something to read.
- Puzzles and board games: We have a ton, and I plan to take regular trips to Goodwill to buy more.
- Other Daddy-is-working non-screen time: I plan to have a list of things they can do every day that's not screen time that they can do
self-directed; things like worksheets, crafts, playing outdoors, etc.
- Play dates: There are other kids their age in our new neighborhood, so I'm going to try to swap parenting with their parents: I'll watch your kids for a play date while you get work done, then you watch my kids for a play date while I get work done.
- Trips: Sure, I'm focused on things they can do while I'm working, but I also still want to do fun things with them when I'm not working: trips to parks, museums, hiking, projects around the house, biking, exploring our new neighborhood.
- Screen time: Screen time is something I'm careful about, but it's the freaking summer and
it's hot in Atlanta; they're going to get time to do both productive things on their screens (learning apps, typing lessons, etc.) and un-productive things.
- Occasional scheduled babysitting: If I have trouble getting my work done with the above, or if I have trouble getting business meetings done given this schedule, I may schedule a few hours a week of babysitting from local teens. We'll see.
So.. I'm feeling hopeful here! Let me know if you have any other great tips, or if this has helped you at all!
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Here are some other quick bullet updates:
Book
I've submitted the rough draft of Laravel: Up and Running and it's now with the technical reviewers. I hope their reviews will be turned in by mid June, which will mean we'll have the book ready for production by mid July. Fingers crossed!
Video Course
Now that Valet 4 is released and the book is submitted, I'm starting work on my first-ever video course! I'm keeping the contents hush-hush for now, but I'll be releasing more information as I get further in. Keep your ears open!