While some schools have already begun the 2024/2025 school year, many parents (*raises hands*) are still dealing with the chaos of the summer.
Sure, it can be the most fun time of the year—traveling with the family, heading to the lake or beach, attending country fairs—but it can also be tough. From finding camps and daycares for your kids to dealing with chaos and noise while they’re at home, there’s plenty of extra stuff thing to deal with.
But TikTok account @mostdeliciouslife has words of encouragement for those currently going through a crazy summer.
The account is run by Corinne Ritz and her mom, Cindy, and consists mostly of recipes, but this particular post is a public service announcement for those who may need it.
“A little PSA: They’ve definitely grown up,” Liz said, standing outside her front door. “I just went out to do some errands. Now I’m home. Let’s see what happened inside.”
Now, as a mom of two, I understand what a house can be like when the kids are left unsupervised, even for a short time. I’ll never forget the day in the summer when I came out of the shower to find every blanket and pillow in our house – including couch and chair cushions – piled in the middle of my living room floor, just like my children Like planning to build a fortress together.
The only thing I thought was “well… at least they didn’t fight.”
But Liz opened the door to a perfect, quiet home. Even the dog on the couch surrendered respectfully.
“Where are the children?” she asked the dog. “In their room again…? Ignoring me and each other? It is Quiet. … Do you see? Summer used to be my least favorite and now I dread going back to school and making a schedule.
She added in the caption: “I used to dread summer, not just because of the heat, but because of the constant complaining, fighting, arguing, trying to entertain, stay busy, etc. It was. Exhausting.
“Now when I get home the only thing I care about is the dogs. 😍😊 I used to have 6 little kids (5 of them boys) wreaking havoc at my feet. Now when my mom walks by she always Question: “Why is it so quiet? “Why? Because they’re all grown up! Three of them are adults, and the 17-year-old is always at work or out with friends. That leaves the 14- and 12-year-olds. That’s it. If they’re home, they’re It will be quiet. Most of the time. Seasons change and time passes. What season are you in now?
The responses in the comments were a mixture of longing, hope and melancholy. In a word (often repeated): bittersweet.
“I’m still in a crappy house with water all over the stage, but the oldest kid is 13 and running away,” mused @trilby86. “It’s weird, but I can see us moving into the next phase, which is bittersweet.”
“They’re driving me crazy but it also makes me so, so sad, oh my god,” @marissam3231 wrote.
“This is bittersweet for me!” Agrees @kf5267. “My house is quiet and I can finally do whatever I want, but sometimes I miss the cartoons in the background, toys everywhere and little sounds!”
As someone who has been involved in the “crazy world of kids” and the “world of tweens,” I definitely get it. Summer vacation with children is difficult But did they fly…
