I am learning that my discipline (or laziness) as a mother profoundly affects my girls.

When I am having a productive day (i.e. clothes are getting folded and finding homes in drawers, dishes are clean and counters are wiped), my girls seem to be more relaxed in their play and they seem more willing to help in their daily chores.

When I am having a less disciplined day, it seems like all hope is lost for each of us. The girls argue over toys in a messy living room, they can’t find the floors beneath the piles in their bedrooms and I am simply frustrated. I sit down and read a magazine. Or lock myself in the bathroom to escape the screaming.

Summer by nature breeds a lazier attitude. If it is difficult for me to be focused, I can hardly blame my six-year-old for not wanting to do her vacation workbooks.

I found a Kindergarten-First Grade bridge workbook divided into 8 weeks of activities. If she does two pages each day Monday through Friday, she will finish by the end of the summer. She also must write one sentence every day and learn two spelling words each week. But doing anything every day is difficult for even a mother.

How often do I want to put off unloading the dishwasher, or exercising when I am less than motivated? How often do I let papers pile at the edge of the kitchen, waiting for some child to run by quickly and knock them to the tile?

I’ve even given her a mid-book incentive as well as a end-of-book reward as well. She doesn’t fight me when I ask her to do it; in fact, she is excited to complete something. But, I forget and then she has to make up 2 or 3 days worth of work that I have neglected to remind her to do.

At the age my kids are at, the responsibility falls only on me. I know that they will grow and take more and more ownership of their own work. But right now, any lack of discipline that I might have affects my girls.

I am learning to be consistent and understand (even at my late age of 33) that there are just some things that must be done each day. Make my bed so I don’t go crazy. Do the dinner dishes. Run or workout so I don’t lose my mind (is insanity a theme here?).

And even though I am so far less than perfect, I am trying to impart that to my girls. It doesn’t always work. But I guess we are all learning. Even in the summer.