February Break – A Chance to Reconnect

It’s a funny thing about kids and school.

          I know I am not the only mom who walked or drove away from the very first day of school – bawling, or like Oprah says, “Ugly crying”. Amazingly though – before long – you are anxious to send the kids off to play with their friends, anxious to pursue things other than listening to Treehouse or doing puzzles.

One moment you are reeling from the sudden passage of time. You look at your baby to realize fully that he/she is not a baby any more – not a toddler any more … but is a kid and as such, now has to go out into the world – and that realization is almost unbearable.

Then, after a couple weeks of their being in school, new patterns develop and before long you begin to dread the holidays. “What the heck am I going to do to entertain my kid(s) during this break,” and … “Break! Break for whom?”

I will admit that I was dreading this February break. I treasure my son more than life itself. I really do. But the looming full week of his being home struck me with fear and the dread of, “Mom! What are we going to do?” and “Mom! I’m bored.”? And parents know that the mom I’m bored thing can be said up to 50 times in one day – or more – and that each time it is said, there is a feeling of desperate panic. The clock seems to almost stop and time crawls until you feel almost insane!

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          This time, for my son and I at least, things were different.

          A lot of credit for this actually goes to Prince Albert Tourism and their Family Fire Festival. Sunday in Kinistino was cold and there was not a soul to be seen. Time had crawled to 10:30 when I decided we had to go. I called friends – but they all thought it was too cold – but cold or not … it was a sunny day and Liam and I just HAD to get out of the house. Because of the wind-chill, I thought that at least we would have a drive to the big city – even if we only spent a half hour at the festival.

          Well – we spent the entire day there.

 It was lovely and amazing and we were filled with joy. Honestly – we have had a lot of great days together, but this was one of the best. The turn-out was low but that didn’t really matter. There was sun, snow, a big freakin hill, hot chocolate, stew and bannock, great music – a HAY RIDE – and fireworks. We went there about 1:30 and stayed the entire day and into the night. We met old friends and made new ones. We burned 20,000 calories going up that hill over and over and over.

          It was great – and inspired me to not dread winter, not dread the break, but embrace these moments with my five year old who won’t want to spend a day with his mom for much longer.

          So, it has been a week of sliding, and swimming at the Melfort Wave Pool, and Play-Dates and cookie making and playing Star Wars Monopoly. We have watched movies together and walked to the library for our cold day outings.

          This week has passed by so quickly … as quickly as the years have passed between Liam being a baby and Liam being a kid.

          So, I guess a school break is the chance to reconnect as a family.

          I encourage all of you reading this – with a few days left in the February Holidays who are sitting at home, to remember the PA Arts Centre, the Alfred Jenkins Field House, the John M. Cuelenaere Library, the Mann Gallery of Art (where tours can be arranged), Minto Bowl with all their rides and bowling and, of course, the splendour AND affordability of the Little Red Park.

          Have a great week and give your kids and extra hug before they won’t let you any more!