School is out and here we are in our first week of summer break. Many parents are staring at their sweet children and thinking, “Now what?”

For many, a 7-week sleep away camp is the solution for summer time fun. Others opt for local day camps, while some parents just wing it.

I’m in the winging it category. I have not enrolled my 6 year old daughter in any summer camps. Our activities this summer include a family vacation/reunion, day trips to the zoo or aquarium, hanging at the local pool and sometimes we find ourselves staring at each other thinking, “now what?”

If you are a parent, the summer time can really cramp your style. I am a work-from-home parent and my work schedule adapts based on my daughter’s school schedule. During the school year, I take my daughter to school and then go for a run around Mount Kisco. I then get ready for the day and park myself at home or a local café with my laptop and work uninterrupted for about five hours.

These summer months are challenging. I have opted to keep my daughter home and I schedule daily activities with her. During the school year, I am pretty good about focusing all my time and attention on my child when she’s home in the afternoon.

With summers it’s tougher. I squeeze in work late at night and then wake up in the morning to finish up and then it’s go go go all day.

Even though my brain is screaming at me to get some work done, my little heart wants to spend as much time as I can with my 6 year old while she still wants me around. Kids grow up fast and if I am in a situation where I can work and hang with my child. I’m going to make that work.

I wish I could plop her in front of the television for about 30 mintues while I try to accomplish one task but she’s on to me and won’t sit in front of the screen even when I bribe her with Harry Potter! My attempts to distract her and bribe her for some time to focus doesn’t always go well.

Ah well, kids grow up really fast we have to hold the tight and squeeze em while they will still let us!