My summer vacation: teacher and happy to be home with kids. DS11 and DD9 are on vacation with their dad and will be back Saturday....I have DSstb3 as my constant companion this summer, with his toilet training, tantrums, and fascination with bugs...I provide free childcare to SSs10 on BM's custodial days (as well as on DH's, for that matter! ). Halfday camp starts tomorrow for SSs, and next week for all four. DSstb3 and I will go to the YMCA while older kids are at camp most days, then after his nap we will all head to town pool.

Problem? SSs have been sullen and strange around me when DH is at work, and it's beginning to irritate me. I'm trying to remain indifferent since I've tried to sort what exactly the problem might be, but it's hard. I made a booklet of ideas of things to do for all older kids (but mine just haven't seen it yet since they're away)...I've decided to aim for working on some mindfulness techniques for a short time each day with the older kids as well...I've encouraged SSs to ask their friends if they'd like to come over and play (in their community with BM, where they spend the other 50% of their lives, I guess the parents still take it upon themselves to coordinate their kids' social calendars. Here, only 17 miles away, my kids and their friends come up with the ideas to get together, obtain parental permission, and the get-together basically runs itself).

For the last two days, these items are met with dead-eyed, sullen, creepiness. They will ask "What are we having for lunch?" or "When is Dad coming home?" but nothing other than that. It's very strange. Or maybe it's not strange; maybe it's just the life of a SM and I'm fortunate to have DH around most of the time (evenings, weekends) during the school year.

SSs will be traveling abroad for three weeks this summer, as well as spending a week in August at a cottage we rent. Lucky kids.

Sigh!