Spring Break

There is absolutely no question that almost everything in life is better with children.  Hubby and I love being parents, we love having several children, we love their ages... our children make our life immeasurably better and more joyful.

Christmas is better with children, Halloween is better with children, Summer vacation is better with children... almost everything in life is better with children.  

All that being said, so far, in our journey of parenthood, I have found one definitely exception to things being better with children... Spring Break.

I am sure that, in time, Spring Break with our kids will be a blast -- vacations, camping, or staying home and having family activities.  In time, Spring Break will be better with children.  At present, however, I don't think Spring Break is better with children.

When both Hubby and I were married with no children and working as full time educators... the first 24 hours of Spring Break were the absolute best 24 hours of the year.  Hubby and I would always be exhausted... but we had MADE IT.  We were exhausted, but we would always stay up late because of the shear JOY that we had made it to Spring Break!  We would go to dinner, or order dinner in, and go to a movie, or rent a movie... we would stay up later than ever because WE COULD SLEEP THE NEXT DAY!  We could sleep forever the next day.

The first hours of Spring Break always meant supreme exhaustion with supreme payoff.

Well, now that we have children... we still have the supreme exhaustion... but the children don't seem to realize that the first day of Spring Break is for Mama and Daddy to sleep.  They just don't get it.

They still expect to be fed breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the normal times... for us to get up out of bed to change their diapers, change their clothes, and... remain awake enough to keep them from danger.  Our oldest is usually awake before sunrise ready to start our day... I love our daughter, but the first day of our Spring Break should NEVER start before sunrise!

We love our children, but this particular aspect of Spring Break has lost its charm.  Its a good thing our little ones are cute, and lovable, and giggly, and fill our Spring Break with joy... because we no longer fill our Spring Break with sleep.