You'd think that 10 unscheduled weeks would be a stay-at-home mother [1]'s dream, but really, it can be closer to an unmitigated hell. Without school, sports, and clubs to break up the day, your time is devoted entirely to the care and entertainment of your children. Even if you have a million ideas for creative and inexpensive things to do [2], being a one-woman fun director can be trying even on a good day (and maddening on a bad one). If you've ever been a stay-at-home mom during the Summer, chances are you've had one (if not all) of these thoughts. I feel your pain.

"I've got an ambitious plan, but I have plenty of time to get it all done."

You come up with your Summer to-do list [3]: finally teaching the tot to swim, getting sunscreen on the kids [4] without a tantrum, not to mention all of the goals you have for yourself, like finally planting that vegetable garden.

"Are my kids always this needy?"

It's amazing how much more attention your kids need when there isn't a teacher, daycare provider, or soccer coach there to give you some relief during the day. The less energy you have, the more your kids seem to gain.

"Oh, God, please don't get naked in public."

I know, I know — it's really sunny and sticky, and you're hot. But please, for the love of God, don't take your clothes off, especially in public places.

"OK, new goal — let's make it through a day without someone needing a Band-Aid."

You can't take your eyes off of them for more than a minute without one of them falling off a bike or tripping on the playground. Who would have thought you'd ever wish for the days when it was too cold to leave the house without 10 layers of padding on?

"I can't remember the last time I spoke to an adult. Is that normal?"

You wonder when you'll reach your threshold for kiddie books and kiddie movies [5], if you haven't already. If you don't get some adult interaction soon, chances are you're going to lose it.

"I don't care how much it costs — I need you to watch my kids, stat!"

Chances are, your regular babysitter has her own set of ambitious Summer plans [6], and none of them involve wrangling your rug rats. You find yourself offering an hourly rate that almost contests the salary from your last job.