Day two of summer vacation: it just might kill me

You  know how Vacation Bible Schools have their silly summer themes? Well, I've got my own summer theme- it just might kill me.

I started with a plan. Because I work from home and my hours are inching closer to full-time, I don't have the luxury of being able to entertain my children all summer long. And frankly, at 7 and 10, I shouldn't have to. So, I created a chore chart. I thought it quite brilliant, because I have a whole list of items. Some are mandatory, and others optional, but each day, the 7 year old has to do 7, and the 10 year old has to do 10. Logical, yes??

On day one, the 10 year old started off like a rock star. She did all her chores, plus some extra, and was done by noon. The 7 year old, not so much. She's still cleaning her room from yesterday and didn't come close to doing her 7 for the day. (And many of the tasks are easy, like brushing teeth and hair- she did those.)

I was given the suggestion by a counselor, that since she's being so defiant about the whole thing, that this is an area where I should spank. Yes, I know, some people are against it, but this is a professional, and she did give me specific tips on how to do it appropriately. So... using her tips, last night, I spanked the 7yo once. I had to go to knitting group, and I usually get home after they've gone to bed, so I told her, "if your room is not clean when I get home, tomorrow, I will spank you again."

I got home after bedtime, and she was waiting up for me, crying. She didn't want to wait until morning to get her spanking, so she'd gone to get the spanking spoon and wanted her spanking now. For which hubby and I had to give her some credit. She didn't want to spend all night dreading the spanking, so she asked to get it over with. And we did.

Which brings us to this morning, and a new deadline. If she doesn't meet the deadline, she's getting another spanking. Fortunately for both of us, when I peeked in her room, she looked like she was going to meet the deadline. Of course, she should have been able to meet the last three, but this one, I think will happen.

The whole goal of my grand summer plan was to keep the kids occupied without relying on the electronic babysitter, so I can work. But I'm starting to think that instead of giving me more sanity, it may kill me.