Beating the Summer Lag

Caroline Godin finds ways to rescue her children and herself from the laziness of summer and go back to a school-ready schedule.

Our family's typical schedule was so full last spring with 6 AM wakeups to late tae kwon do classes and weekend sports games that I could not wait for summer vacation to begin. Work and tae kwon do keeps happening, and my little one still wakes up by 8 AM, but mornings and shuffling around are much more relaxed.

Much. More. Relaxed.

I still have to work from home with my 4-year-old around, but he occupies himself mostly. My teens, however … I do have to try to drag them out of bed before 2 PM. Sunday Mass is a particular challenge, but they know the drill and we manage. Sometimes just barely.

Truth is, the comfort of summer has left morning routines in the dust. I struggle to get up at a reasonable time. Even then, once up, I drag myself through morning chores. Before I know it, it’s noon and the day has escaped me. Although perhaps it is I who have eluded the day.

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Turns out without the Oh-my-goodness-the-bus! alarm going off in my head, I’m just so mentally exhausted that I’m not motivated to move faster. I’m the one dragging, moving like molasses out of bed. My exercise routines (I’m training for my black belt) are happening later and later at night. I know I do better in the morning but I’m letting it slip away. The only mornings I do better are the mornings with an appointment.

Here’s the solution: accountability. That’s my solution anyway. When I’m held accountable (bus times, appointments, and so on), I get myself up and moving. When it’s loosely planned, I’m no good. I guess it helps to know one’s inner motivational needs. For me, it’s the fire of got-to-do-such-and-such that gets me moving.

The appetite of the sluggard craves but has nothing, but the appetite of the diligent is amply satisfied. (Proverbs 13:4)

Urgh! I’ve been so sluggish! No wonder I’m not satisfied! So how can I get myself up better, moving earlier, and rescue my kids from the same sluggishness? The older two are teens, so I’ve got low expectations, but going for forward motion!

First, our bedtime routine is atrocious. We’re hitting the sack (the big ones that is) close to midnight or even just after. We’re a late-night crew anyway but this is too late even for us. Martial arts may get out late and showers make it even later, but I need to curb the after-shower entertainment. No movies or TV shows or games after a certain hour. We can wind down with a quiet chat or hang out for a few minutes, then it’s off to bed. That’s step one: sleep earlier!

Second: purpose! Did you think I would say, “get up earlier?” I might, but I’ve failed at that for the first month, so I’m in need of purpose. God has a purpose for me in every day and it’s my job to find it.

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

I wake each morning with a prayer already, so now I’m adding the discernment of His purpose for me in each day. Lord, what do You want for me today? This helps me move, focus, stay accountable. I may not have a bus or an appointment, but God has a plan and even if I don’t know what it is, I know I won’t discover it by staying in bed. I move, I dress, I brush teeth, I eat breakfast … the cycle has to start somewhere.

Shoving teens to bed is easier than prying them out. Let’s be real here; they’re lazy. It’s okay to let them sleep a bit in the summer and it’s okay to not stress myself over it, but I need to have some parameters.

I’ve told them, “We’re doing xyz but I need you out of bed by this time.” I’ve even stood there and said, “I’m not leaving until you’re off your bed.” This is sometimes at noon, and I can be quite annoying, plus they’re both in loft beds so they’re not going to flop back on easily once standing on the floor. If all else fails—it often does—then I remove screen time or rights to apps. It’s lovely being techie parents.

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Click to tweet:
God has a purpose for me in every day and it’s my job to find it. #catholicmom

Summer will be over soon and 6 AM wakeups will be rearing their ugly heads once again. To ease the shock, I need to get our family moving again. We’ll sleep better if we’re active earlier in the day and more will get done. After all, we don’t want to be sluggards. We have a purpose to serve God each day, so let’s get up and get moving!

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