I am deep in thought trying to solve a programming problem which looks very similar to 1000 or so such problems I’ve solved in the past and countless programmers have solved before me. I then hear Lydia wailing from the back bedroom. Aidan sneaks out as I walk past. I asked Lydia what happened and she said “Aidan hit me.” I asked what for and she shook her “I don’t know head” so I said there must be a reason – not that it’s justified – because Aidan is not psychotic, a role exclusively Elisa’s until she turns three next month. Lydia told me what started the fight and it really was nothing. So then I went to the room Aidan was in and asked him for his side of things. I told him it was never ok to hit his sister even if, well, she deserved it. I mean, even if she makes you really mad you can’t hit her. Walk away. Count to 100 in disparaging terms, just don’t hit. He wasn’t a big fan of the message and closed the door on me when I left so I had to go back and whack him upside the head (kidding).

Such is how Monday of the first week of the kids summer break went. For the past few years I’ve been knowingly ignorant (yes, I just wrote that) as I went to work during their summer breaks and only saw them at dinner time. Now, working from home, there is no escape from it.

The kids, mainly Aidan and Elisa, don’t have a lot to do during the day and the Ayi is content to take them out once per day and then plop them in front of the TV with Aidan playing computer games. Lydia on the other hands have friends calling and stopping by pretty much all day although she also enjoys computer games, albeit of a different variety than Aidan.

So on Monday I took the three kids to Chaoyang park after lunch. Chaoyang park is a huge urban park with amusement park style rides, tons of walking trails, sports fields, and lakes.  I told them they could buy one toy, one ice cream, one drink, and take two rides or activities. They seemed to liked the guidelines and Aidan of course wanted to barter the two rides for more toy money (no).  We strolled around the park and it was hot but the kids didn’t seem to mind. Yang showed up after her tennis and took the kids on the boat ride while I got roller coaster duties. Eventually we got home and after dinner I solved the morning’s programming problem as the kids played computer games.

With Tuesday awaiting there only 47 days more to go until school starts.