The Last Summer Vacation

Good morning, this is Shimashima.

It has already been a week since summer vacation started.
This year, my nephews have joined us, so it's quite lively.

Since they are now at an age where they can play by themselves,
it means I don't have to play with them,
but I do have to cook three proper meals a day,
which I usually don't have to do much of
(we are usually self-service except for dinner),
I have to run the washing machine three times a day,
and I have to clean frequently...

The stress of having to do everything that mothers around the world
do properly every single day is immense 💦

Well, if I leave them alone, they just watch YouTube and play games,
so I end up having them help me out.

I teach them chores while I'm at it,
we cook meals together,
and I also help them with their homework.
(I can't manage their progress, though)

I'm very good at this,
so I enjoy doing it.

They will probably only do things like this
while they are in elementary school.

In that sense, this year is the 'last' summer vacation.
It feels a bit lonely.

I used to be bad with children,
but after my own were born,
they turned into incredibly interesting research subjects (lol).

While being pushed around by beings
who are completely different from how I was as a child,
I've been impressed by their sensibilities,
experienced various things from the same perspective,
and cried and laughed together with them.

Long breaks were also the perfect opportunity
to experience such things.

I actually quite looked forward to them...
though I'd be exhausted afterward lol

Once they reach junior high school,
they focus on what they like
and hang out with friends,
so the opportunities for parents to be involved decrease rapidly.

The expression 'they won't play with me anymore'
is the closest one for me.

It's not that I want them to pay attention to me,
but I won't be able to observe them! (lol)

When I think about it that way, the time I can spend with my children
really goes by in a flash.
I believe this is a precious time I can experience as a parent,
so I want to cherish it.

But if that's the case, I really have no time to work lol

I've started to think that maybe, deep down, I don't want to work.

What were we talking about again?
Oh well, never mind.

Today, I will dedicate myself to
helping everyone with their independent research projects!