Rain. All day. Stuck inside with kids who’ve got the energy of caffeinated squirrels.
Nope. Not today. We are not spiraling. I have plans.
(Okay, loose plans. Let’s be real. But we’re making it through.)
Step One: Build the Ultimate Blanket Fort
You know the drill—pillows, chairs, every blanket in the house. Bonus points if you don’t collapse it within the first five minutes (which is a record in this house).
Lily insists it’s a castle. Max calls it a pirate ship. Jack’s turned it into some kind of secret spy base.
Cool. Great. As long as they’re occupied and I can drink my coffee, I fully support this confusion.
Step Two: Bake Something. Anything.
Cookies. Muffins. Some bizarre “recipe” your kid invented that will 100% be inedible. Doesn’t matter.
Flour? Everywhere. Chocolate chips? Eaten before they even hit the bowl. You? Questioning your life choices while cleaning egg off the floor.
But, whatever. It keeps them busy. And the house smells like baked goods, so that’s a win.
Step Three: Indoor Obstacle Course
This one is a desperate energy burner. Jump over pillows. Crawl under the table. Balance a book on your head. Do whatever it takes to tire them out.
Max takes this as his cue to go feral. He’s climbing the furniture like he’s training for the Olympics.
Meanwhile, I’m standing there, reconsidering my decision to let them do this in the first place.
Step Four: Movie Time (a.k.a. Parental Survival Hour)
No shame in screen time. None. Pick a movie, pop some popcorn, and sit down for a second.
Actually, no. You won’t be sitting. You’ll be pausing the movie every 10 minutes for snack requests, bathroom breaks, and urgent questions like “Is Lightning McQueen faster than Sonic?”
Step Five: Science Experiments (or Controlled Chaos)
Want to feel like a cool parent while secretly making them learn something? Science.
- Baking soda + vinegar = tiny explosion. Instant entertainment.
- Magic milk trick? Food coloring, dish soap, swirls of color. Looks cool. No cleanup.
- DIY lava lamp? Oil, water, food dye, Alka-Seltzer. Bubbling madness.
They think it’s magic. You know it’s just chemistry. Win-win.
Step Six: Dance Party (Or Desperate Last-Resort Energy Dump)
Music on. Volume up. Jump, spin, flail.
I’m fully aware I look like an embarrassing mom doing this. But I do it anyway. Because it tires them out and gets us all laughing. And I will take that win today.
Final Step: Survive Until Bedtime
The goal: Make it to 8 p.m. without losing your mind.
The reality: Probably eating a snack standing up in the kitchen, counting down the minutes.
Finally, bedtime. Kids are wiped. You are exhausted. The house? Looks like a tornado hit a toy store.
But they’re happy. And you survived. Which means you win.
Tomorrow? Sunny skies. Park time. Fresh air. The opposite of today.
Thank God.