Dream Chasing , Decision Making and Crystal Ball Seeking

Anyone have a crystal ball I can borrow?  Just for a minute.  It seems it’s that time of year again.  Not just the beginning of May, but time to decide the fate of both my children for the next school year, maybe even the course of their lives!

(Warning: the pressure of this migraine pounding on brain and the impending decisions has left me all “Drama Queeney” )

So how did we get here; how did society get here?  Each year at this time we are expected to lay out a plan, make a commitment, make giant decisions that will affect our children’s future.  No pressure, but the social lives, mental well being and the role our children will play in society for the next twelve months will hinge on the decisions I help them make in the next couple of weeks.   (there’s the Drama Queen thing again)

Don’t know what I mean?  Did you want your baby to be on a softball team?  Too late!  Sign ups in these parts out are long over for the summer.  You missed it.  No baseball for them.  This also means no plans for them every Tuesday and Thursday night all summer.  Huh. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

Thinking about summer camp?  You still have time, but you better hurry if you want in at a quality camp.  Considering horse, theatre, vocal camp?   Oye, hope you have those forms filled in triplicate and those deposit cheques have been sent in or you are out of luck.  Is it strange or stressful that your summer must be planned by the beginning of May?  Actually, no.  I have grown accustomed to the rhythm of sign ups for summer camps and activities.  It’s the planning..the plotting….the responsibility for taking care of their little dreams for the entire next school year that has me tossing and turning at night.   

Cheer tryouts for next years team are in a couple of weeks.  Are we ready for the commitment of time and all that travel?  Probably.  Do we want BlueEyes to make the High School Volleyball team?  Better get her in a summer league or she won’t stand a chance against the competition.  Oh wait, will she even want to play Volleyball in High School?  How is she supposed to know?  High School doesn’t even start for five months!  Then there is my youngest.  The Dance Studio really wants SweetGirl to go “full time” this September.  Full time equals a LOT more hours in the studio.  This will limit other after school activities, time for homework, time for family,  time to just play.  To say yes to dance is to limit so many other things, but if dance is her passion and her dream, don’t you have to encourage her to follow her heart?  And what about piano?  Is there room?  Is there time?  Is there money?  The list goes on and on, and the thoughts keep swirling around in my head in an infinite loop. 

The balancing act of what is best for my girls, of which dreams to chase, of how much we can squeeze in, versus the value of unstructured and family time is precarious.  The desire, the need to help my children follow their dreams and live their best lives must fit into our real lives and as it turns out….. it must all be decided now.    No pressure.

Life in the suburbs can be chaotic, frenzied and stressful.  I do not choose this.   Instead I choose for our life to be full and beautiful and joyful.  To try to create a schedule that allows for both dream chasing and family time.  That makes room for family and has us living in my house instead of the carpool lane.  Wish me luck as I try and guide our girls to chase their dreams, while finding that illusive balance in the suburbs.   Oh, and if you have that crystal ball?   Feel free to send it over, a quick peek at the path wouldn’t hurt!