Bored Stiff

I have a daughter that is 10, soon to be 11. Brilliant, kind, active, and stubborn. It is midway through summer vacation, and she is developing a new trait. BORED. Out of her skull. If I have to hear one more time, "summer is stupid, kids just forget what they learn in school, and there is nothing to do!"... Well I might start joining her on the crazy train. Don't get me wrong, she is not sitting on the couch all day doing nothing. She reads, does an inordinate amount of "crafts" and "projects", plays video games, hangs with her friends, goes to the water park, rides her electric scooter, hikes, visits her sister, plays with her brother, on and on and on... busy, busy, busy....

But it is not enough. Not for her body, not for her mind. And I consider myself an amature expert on boredom. I don't get bored often, over active imagination. But I see bored people, and they all seem mental to me. Looping, self-destructive thoughts and habits. Unhappy, cranky, etc. It is NOT healthy. And I love Naomi to death. She is a great blessing to me. I could not have chosen a better daughter. But when she is bored, she is the queen crank.

So, I sign her up for an online school. Good for 2 weeks. I take her to the library on a regular basis. Good for a week. More hiking? Boring. We have been there already.

:) I am exagerrating a bit, but here is the good part. She wants to have a neighboor girl spend the night. I don't mind. I don't have to do anything special, she is a good hostess, no extra work for me, and I like her friends. I personally would never let my daughter spend the night at a home with no mother, but her friends moms don't seem to mind.

Okay, I say, sounds good. Distract Naomi, give her a break? Sounds real good. So, her and her friend hop on the scooters, and head up to the school. By the time they get home, 2 more friends are also spending the night... 4 girls? Fine, but I have to get up early, so y'all better be quiet after 10.... "Okay dad, no problem. Oh look there are 3 more of my friends visiting across the street, can I go say hi?" \
LOL "Of course, but you are NOT having 7 (7!) girls spending the night!"
"Duh Dad, just saying hi."
"Fine."

And here we are. 10pm. Ready to SLEEP. ( I get cranky without my sleep.) Noah is downstairs, out of the girls hair. The girls are in the living room camping out, making a LOT of noise. I tell Naomi, "I need to sleep now, will you go to bed? You can get up early and have fun all day with your friends..."
"Sure dad."

Midnight, waking up from the noise every few minutes... Getting cranky. A short visit upstairs... "Naomi, please I need to sleep will you be quiet? Have fun tommorrow!"
"Sure dad. Sorry."

1:30 am. Can't sleep from the giggling. Can't get mad, cause it is better than Naomi being cranky. :) Yell up stairs in a pleading voice, "Naomi! Please!" Quiet. Sleep. Bliss.

I get up late for work, the girls are not in the living room. They took over Noah's bedroom for the night(he was downstairs and has 2 beds). They moved the noise so I could sleep? How sweet. They stayed up til 4 or 5 in the morning??? I don't wanna know.

I go to work dead tired.
I have a good day.
I come home.
Naomi is perky, and happy, and NOT GRUMPY.

I can deal with that....