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Friday, June 21, 2013

 

It's Hard to be 6


It’s Hard to be 6

 

As you may have guessed, I have Dylan, our 6-year-old grandson, most of the week days.  Aidan, our 5 year-old grandson is going to pre-K over the summer to get him ready for “real” school at the end of August.

 

I feel rather sorry for Dylan.  By 10 a.m. it’s way too hot for us to do what he (or I) would like:  go to a park, go to the community pool or splash pad or just enjoy something as simple as a walk. 

 

Lucky is starting to wonder what’s up with the 10 minute walks in the morning as well.

 

Plus, I’m also supposed to be working on improving his reading skills while he’s with me.  Easier said than done, I assure you.

 

Take the day of my writing this week’s entry.  Dyl arrived at the usual time of 7:30.  Steve had a client meeting to go to on his day off-so it was just Dyl and I having breakfast.  Once we were done Dyl wanted to watch some TV.  Knowing that I really don’t like him sitting like a bump on a log and glazed over, I told him he could watch it as long as I was still nursing my second cup of coffee.

 

Then we took our 10 minute cruise around the neighborhood.  Lucky leaving “piddles” every few feet.  Once we returned to the house I brought Dyl into the office and told him to pick out a book and he needed to read while I attended to a few business bugaboos (I’ve been trying to get a set of Senior community organizers to let me come and visit their compound and talk to the residents and activity staff for over a week!).

 

Low and behold, for the 4th attempt in a row-Dyl fell asleep.  Didn’t take 5 minutes and the boy was snoring on the couch in the office.

 

Sigh.  I know he hasn’t been sleeping too well. Our daughter’s been working in Colorado for almost 3 weeks now and the kids really miss her.  I don’t want to wake him up when he’s this exhausted, but I don’t want him sleeping the day away either.

It’s a fine line we’ve all been walking.  My husband and I need to run errands when he’s got his “weekend” going, as I am just not able to lift items over about 5 pounds.  Honestly, with my right shoulder and neck giving me constant grief-pushing a basket around is also not one of the most pleasant ways to spend any time either.  Again, Dyl winds up doing the errands with us. 

 

Not much fun for him.

 

Last week we picked up Aidan and we took them to the community Water Park and pool for over an hour.  We all had fun.  Steve even went down one of the huge water slides.  He did manage to “beat up” his elbows, but they all had fun.  I enjoyed swimming a few laps, stopping when my “trigger” points started screaming at me.  It was a great way to cool off and finish our day with the grandkids.

 

We dropped them off to Alex and went home and enjoyed our dinner.

 

You would think that the community center would have a day camp for 6 year olds.  They start at age 8.  It would be wonderful if they had an indoor basketball camp for this age group-our daughter checked it out as well. 

 

8 must be the lucky starting age.  Sarah even thought there might be a Sylvan course to at least put Dyl in a couple of afternoons a week to get his reading and math skills sharpened and ready for 1st grade. 

 

Poor Dyl, those too started at age 10!

 

Our closest indoor mall is 30 miles away.  I’d take him to the little splash pad at the outlet mall up the street, but since it’s 110 and the cover over the play area doesn’t really help until after 3, we’re both looking for things to do until that magic moment that makes it safe to enjoy the outdoors.

 

In this heat we can’t make bread from scratch, bake cookies or do science experiments in the yard.  Our basil burned to a crisp and the rosemary never surfaced.  To be blunt-we’re both bored out of our gourds.

 

At least he’s getting some rest. 

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