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Jen (Dual-career mom of Jacob 5, and Caleb, 2): Have you ever had one of those days when your standards just go out the window?

Kelli (Stay-at-home mom of Logan 8, and Whitney 7): Just one of those days? Come mid-summer they are a re-occurring theme. Right about now is when I find myself secretly counting the days until school starts. It's sort of like Christmas, but for parents!

Jen: I find the longer the day -- whether it's tiredness, frustration, loss of patience -- the more susceptible I am to lazy parenting.

Kelli: I've been an off-and-on member of that club. But in my defense, I think it's unfair the longest days of the year are when my kids are out of school.

And you know it's a long day when you are happy the kids are fighting so you have an excuse to send them to their rooms for some peace and quiet.

Jen: Well, I'll tell you I know it's going to be a long day when I can't find Jacob and Caleb's toothbrushes in the morning so I tell them to just brush their teeth with their fingers.

Kelli: I see a theme here, let's run with it. You know it's a long day when... it's Breakfast for Dinner night.

Jen: The crusted leftovers of the grilled cheese sandwich from your child's half-eaten lunch looks good for dinner.

Kelli: In the late afternoon you tell the kids they don't need sunscreen - just stay in the shady end of the pool.

Jen: You're too tired to change the channel when "Dora the Explorer" comes on so you just watch the show - with or without the kids.

Kelli: You let the kids watch a marathon of "The Suite Life of Zach and Cody" to take advantage of them being zombie couch potatoes.

Jen: Instead of a bath, you wipe your kids down with wet wipes and put them to bed.

Kelli: Swimming in the pool qualifies as a bath for up to three days.

Jen: Instead of breaking up another sibling fight, you just remind them no hitting, pinching or biting.

Kelli: You let the kids stay up past their bed time because you just don't have the fight in you.

Jen: You tell your boss, "...because Mommy said so."

Kelli: You tell your husband, "...because Mommy said so."

Jen: You eat at McDonald's and don't even argue with them in the great Apples vs. French Fry debate.

Kelli: You let ketchup count as a fruit or vegetable with a meal.

Jen: You agree to play Hide and Seek with the kids so you catch a quick catnap in the closet.

Kelli: If the kids can't find a pair of clean underwear, you tell them to grab a pair off the floor, give it the sniff test and go with the winner.

Jen: You throw a few extra Bounce sheets in the dryer instead of re-washing the load you forgot about in the washer.

Kelli: You'll serve that frozen mystery leftovers so you don't have to brave the grocery store with the kids.

Jen: Hubby gets an e-mail alert that tonight Mommy will be cashing in on some "Me Time."

Kelli: You'll count dropping the kids off at the Kids Club and suffering at the gym for an hour as "Me Time."

Jen: Your legs fall asleep reading People magazine in the bathroom.

Kelli: You fantasize about the first day of school instead of Brad Pitt.

Jen: I can't top that one. I never stop fantasizing about Brad Pitt.

Kelli: Okay, neither do I. But sometimes I fantasize about him taking my kids for a few hours so I can have some "Me Time."

Kelli Wheeler is a Sacramento stay-at-home mom of two with 26 days until school starts.

Jen Hall is a Sacramento dual-career mom of two who figures Brad and Angelina will never notice a couple of extra kids in their expanding family!

YOUR TURN

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