Look, We're All Exhausted.

This is my toddler in the middle of the floor at Target. He’s not even throwing a tantrum. No screaming, no kicking, he was cool and calculated as he bent down to the floor and rolled over to have a good rest. I turned around and saw him laying there. He was just done.

Some days I wish it were socially acceptable for a full-grown adult to do the same thing. For Arizonans, May means the end of the school year. As the mom of a preschooler, I’m slowly realizing that the end of the school year means tripling school activities, requesting parental presence in the middle of the workday, and oh- you need to squeeze in some time to generate a handmade craft or gift that shows you and your child’s appreciation. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. More seasoned moms are losing their minds baking treats for various end-of-the-year parties and toting all of their children to award ceremonies.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate, but do we have to cram this all into a two-week duration? Between the parent-teacher conference, preschool graduation, (because that’s a thing that actually requires more than paper hats now,) learning celebration, fundraisers, concerts, Mother’s Day celebrations, birthday parties, soccer games, and lining up summer plans, I could use a good lay down on the target floor.

I understand the school year’s end is a busy time for most, but we Arizonans have the unique added pressure of the impending doom that is our summer heat. Think of it like your worst winter storm, only instead of layering up and chattering your teeth out, we’re wrapping potholders around door handles and praying that our A.C unit can handle the pressure. It’s May and it’s a beautiful 80 degrees, but we all know what’s coming. So all the activities must get done before the thermometer hits 100. Or worse, 120.

I make lists, jot down calendars, set reminders on my phone, and live under the rule of digital assistants for a while as I hop from event, to work, to event and sneak in a grocery trip when I can, (we’ve got a few more boxes of mac and cheese in the pantry, that’ll hold them over for a day or two right?) and I look forward to that first 100-degree day, when I can curl up with a cold brew and a good book at the pool. When the tourists and half the residents have retreated to colder climates, and it’s quiet in the desert.