Summertime can be hard for moms.  Let’s be honest, it is nice to ditch the bus schedule and practice schedule but having all the kids home every minute of the day can drive an otherwise sane mom crazy.  Trying to feed those hungry critters, keep them clean and entertained in more than a full time job.  It’s a good thing that mothers love their children like no one else could.  And that abandonment has a pretty stiff sentence.

Lucky for me, I have a magic button for the summer craze- a working ranch.

There are no morning routines, daily schedules, or everyday regimen at our house but I could still tell you what our day will look like.  Dad is going to wake up early, maybe even too early for some of the little sleepers that need a few more zzz’s than he does.  If their ranchkid antennae don’t go off and they sense that Dad’s work day has commenced, they will ask where dad is as soon as they can rub the sleep from their eyes.  Once they are awake enough, they will start searching for a pair of work pants, clean socks (if I’m lucky), and shoving their boots on.  And I likely won’t see them until they are hungry.

The dictionary doesn’t paint a very pretty picture of the word feral.  According to Google, feral (fe·ral/`ferəl,`firəl/) means in a wild state, especially after escape from captivity or domestication.  Similar words: wild, untamed, undomesticated, untrained, unused to humans, unbroken, not broken in, not house-trained, not housebroken.  Resembling a wild animal.

Even if it’s not very, it is probably an accurate description of my children.  But I really wouldn’t have it any other way because every day is an adventure with this feral crew.

The upside of my kids heading out first thing in the morning is that I don’t have to hear those two words every mom despises- “I’m bored...”  If they aren’t around, I can’t hear it.  That alone makes the summer survivable.

Not only do I not hear them say it because they aren’t around, but there is no way they are saying that phrase when they are on their next adventure.  Whether they are running around following dad or making their own way, they are chasing some sort of fun.  Fun that is led by their imagination, big dreams and high hopes.  Granted, if they would have consulted me on their day dreams or high hopes, I might have dissuaded them from such fun.  Once again, running feral for the win because ignorance truly is bliss.  If they are having fun and staying out of trouble, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know what they are doing.

Running feral equates to a little sanity in the kitchen.  That might sound like just the opposite of an “untame”, “not house-trained” “wild” child, but hear me out.  When those kiddos play hard outside all day long, they come back home hungry.  They are ready to climb up to the table and eat whatever I put on it.  They aren’t home snacking away the day and then too full for  the supper I slaved over only to refuse to eat it as leftovers later.  They are happy to have a full belly and I’m happy to not have spent the day cooking in vain.  Happy sounds pretty close to sane.

Days under the sun lend to the cutest little farmer tans and what do tans mean? Sunshine.  Now this might be a double edged sword because research says that time spent in the sun will help the body produce vitamin D which in turn will improve mood and happiness and boost energy.  While no kid needs any extra energy, having a happy mood instead of a grumpy mood is always a good thing.  I’ll take a little extra energy for a good mood any day.

Some might critique our less than structured days, but I am grateful for what they teach my ranch kids.  They are learning problem solving, independence, and creativity while showing courage, determination, will and grit.  I think it’s time we add new term to the dictionary when it comes to strong willed ranch kids that will spend every waking hour out working, looking for adventure and making their dreams a reality.