Mom-also known as-Julie McCoy “Love Boat” Cruise Director

I am going to date myself when I write this-I will be the “Big 40” this year and growing up “The Love Boat” was always one of my favorite shows. One of my favorite characters on the show was Julie McCoy who was the Cruise Director who planned all of the social activities on the boat and kept a smile on her face as she was overworked and answering a million questions about what passengers were going to do to keep themselves busy on the ship. I even remember playing dress up as a child and pretended to be Julie McCoy.  This week I was Julie McCoy, Cruise Director and my ship was the S.S. Spring Break and my passenger was my young child.  First let me clarify I looked forward to Spring Break for months because my child is now in school and although I know they love school I miss my child terribly during the day.  So the thought of being able to spend over a week with my child really excited me. I found myself searching the Internet and asking friends for ideas about fun things that I could do with my child.  Then I made the mistake of telling my child that each day of Spring Break would hold a new adventure.  What seemed like a good idea to tell them at the time quickly became a pressure tactic by my child for a new and exciting adventure planned by me.  My husband warned me to keep my ideas for activities to myself so if I found myself exhausted I would not feel the pressure to complete the activities I told our child I planned for us.  I told him I would tell our child so they would have something to look forward to-as much as it pains me to say it especially in print I should have listened to my husband.  Luckily my husband has not said “I told you so” yet but the week is not over yet. So last Friday was my child’s first day of Spring Break and full of motivation I took my child to the zoo.  After fighting for a place in the crowd to see the monkeys I was exhausted but my child simply asked “what is next?” Saturday came and with my husband in tow we went to a local Easter Party at a park which was fun but a lot of activity followed by a great Easter Parade on Sunday. Monday came with the inevitable “what is next?” which my husband helped me with a day off of work and kept our child entertained with a trip to the nursery to buy trees. Then Tuesday I was on my own as Cruise Director. A trip to the library was a perfect outing but on the way home I again was asked “what is next?”  My reply of “It’s a surprise went on deaf ears so Wednesday I found 2 local history museums which were wonderful to see with the excitement in my child’s eyes. Still less than 30 seconds as we were walking out of the museum I was asked the dreaded “what is next?”  Thursday came and I took my child roller skating which was a fun experience and now on Friday after a day at the local bookstore story time followed by a puppet show at the library I am anxiously awaiting my husband’s arrival so the Cruise Director can have an adult beverage.  Tomorrow we have a final planned activity planned for the week but the Cruise Director will have the assistance of Gopher-my husband ;]  Yes it has been a fun week and I am pretty proud of myself for being able to plan a great week of activities with my child.  I know that on Monday when they return to school I will miss the role of Cruise Director but I will reassume the role this summer.  As I was exhausted this afternoon all of my exhaustion went out the window when my child drew me a picture to “thank me for being a great mom” in their words.  As the song says “The Love Boat-soon we will be making another run.”