Summer is a mixed blessing when you’re a parent of school-aged children. Yeah, parenting is the job I signed up, and as a general rule, I’m a big fan of it. That said, my house gets exponentially louder and more chaotic when our fifteen year old and two twelve year olds are home all day everyday for months on end. My grasp on sanity is tenuous at best.

Here are five things that keep me form going right and properly bonkers:

1. Audiobooks! Because the kids aren’t nearly as loud when I have my earbuds in. Or maybe they are and I just can’t hear them. Either way, sanity preserved.
2. Happy hour at Sonic! That’s right! Half price slushes and other such drinks.
3. The farmer’s market. Unilaterally, my kids love the farmer’s market. We get to enjoy the fresh air, experience whatever festival is taking place adjacent to the market, and there is a fabulous artisan baker that sells the most amazing cheesy bread ever.
4. Craft Warehouse is a company local to the Pacific Northwest. Every Tuesday evening and Saturday afternoon each location hosts a variety of craft activities. For example, for five bucks, you can create your own tie-dye T-shirt and bring it home with you. That’s one of hundreds unique, fun, inexpensive things to keep the kids focused on something other than pushing me over the edge.
5. Air conditioning! Yes, it’s indulgent and possibly sinful, but all that doesn’t matter to a woman (me) in the middle of a hot flash.

What about the rest of y’all? What do you do to keep yourself sane on the regular?