It's summer if you hadn't noticed yet, and even here in Japan, the kids are out of school for vacation. Granted, my son has a ton of homework to do, and getting him to actually do it is like taking on another full-time job. As if I didn't have enough to do with very little motivation.
I find that at times like this that routines are beyond handy, I think. Knowing that I can autopilot my way through the morning saves my action points for the things I really need to use them on. So, what does a day look like in Chez Kim?
Well, I sleep in till around 6:30. (Yes, that is sleeping in, and it's about as late as my brain will let me stay in bed without being obnoxious about it. ). Since the kid is out of school and my husband works from home bridging his company's Japan and California offices, both my boys are still asleep and I get about an hour of peace.
So I get up and I try to meditate (It's called meditation practice for a reason...) and then I do some calisthenics to try to get my body really awake. I find that this combination helps restore what little patience I have, which comes in handy after everyone gets up. I've started a journaling habit (again) and once I've got the coffee started I'll sit down for ten minutes or so and scribble a few things down. I try to always include at least one thing I'm grateful for, which is a nice way to set the day up, I think.
After that, it's writing and breakfast time as the boys wake up and stumble blearily around the apartment. I get my kid started on his homework around 9, with varying degrees of success, and after he's done he usually settles in to watch YouTube or play Minecraft while I finish up my work and my husband starts his.
At that point, I'm ready for a nap and I turn my sights on the rest of my life. Lunch and housework and hobbies and what have you. Dinner gets made and Legos get stepped on and life rolls on. I'm taking August easy, since there's so much to juggle. September is when I'll get back into a more serious groove but for now, this is what's working for us as a family. It might not be the most productive way to go, but life isn't only about that, is it?
Obviously, it is also about building giant structures in Minecraft and finding neat new indie games to play while avoiding The Outside where it is hot and gross. And popsicles.