Much to the chagrin of kids everywhere, summer’s final moments are ticking down. Children and parents alike will bid farewell to spontaneous living as bells ring in the 2008-2009 school year bright and early tomorrow morning.
After children are deposited at the proper locations, there will be dancing in the streets (Jeff tells everyone that I perform the celebratory ritual in a state of undress), and bon bon consumption will markedly increase. (I don’t believe I’ve ever personally consumed a bon bon, but I go along with the misnomer that stay-at-home moms do nothing but eat them and relax on the couch all day – it’s far more enviable than what I actually do with myself while disguised as the laundry and grocery fairy.)
I’m excited for my children, and a teeny bit delighted for me. Peace and quiet will once again reign over chunks of my day. It will be difficult to sleep tonight, but tomorrow morning I’ll bounce out of bed, unaided by the alarm clock. Few things motivate me in such a way.
I love the fresh start that accompanies the first day of school. While many make resolutions in January at the start of a new calendar year, I make mine in September. Like the Januarians (I know that’s not a word, but it sounds pretty cool), diet and exercise usually top the list. I’ve spent the past ten years learning that it takes six months to undo a few lazy weeks coupled with snacking on kids’ fare. A more intelligent person would’ve considered that prior to ingesting what I have this summer.
Ordinarily, nine months is plenty of time to attain some goals, but sometimes the challenges of keeping my offspring on the right path impede my progress. That aside, I’m joining my children this year in heading back to school. I wonder who will nag me about my homework? Since I have a pretty decent record of getting results in that department, it will probably be me. I chose classes I wanted to take, so I’m hoping it won’t feel like work at all.
The real challenges facing me this school year are my children attending three separate campuses (elementary, junior high and high school), and having my oldest start driving himself to school after the Christmas break. For years I’ve been able to escape having to read all the papers that come home by first weeding out the duplicates. Now I’ll have to sift through it all as it’s coming from different locales. I’m certain that will be far easier than waiting what will seem like an eternity for my oldest to drive himself home, or having him arrive too quickly. Poor thing, maybe he’ll surprise me and time it just right.
Summers are always a welcome, much-needed break from tight schedules and seemingly endless work. I love it because of the conversations that come up when those things are removed. Now it’s time to dig in and get back to traveling towards the destination we must prepare for – the future. It seems an eternity away, but will be here all too quickly. I hope I’ve timed things at least close to just right.
© 2008 Natalie Whatley