Yes, ladies and gents, boys and girls…It’s that wonderful time of year when parents everywhere rejoice (unless this is your first time dropping off the little one at kindergarten)
And the little ones’ cries can be heard in space…
Sorry, not sorry, kiddios! Off you go! Out the door! March your little backpacks to the bus stop and don’t come back until you’ve learned something.
Oh, and don’t come back with the hundreds of redundant forms the school will send home with you on the first day! Those teachers and administrative personnel sure know how to damper the joy for parents on the first day of school with all those forms. Seriously, I have 5 kids. They’ve been in this school system forever. Isn’t there a nice box I can click that says, “There have been no changes since last year, now leave me alone”?
Literally, this is me after the first night of back to school with all those forms! (see above)
Now, I know some of you parents are distraught that your little sunshines are heading off to school.
You may not fully understand the elation…the joy of the first day school is back in session for us other parents. Trust me. Next year you will understand the anticipation and giddiness of sending the rugrats (excuse me…little angels) back to school.
Some may have already sent their lovelies back to school. After seeing all the posts from my friends further south in the US, they have been back in school over a week or two at least. Seriously, what is the problem? Too hot to continue vacation? Send them back to the air condition school? I’m all for sending them back, but at least try to finish summer first. Summer is just getting into full swing in early August.
And that is the last bit of sympathy for the kiddies you’ll get from me today.
Please don’t think I just don’t love my children. I do, very much. I enjoy my time with them, but let’s be honest…when they are home from school, I get ZERO accomplished. They want to eat. Different foods. Different times. More dirty laundry accumulates in my laundry room. Eight people may live here, but I’m doing the laundry of a small army. They have playdates, sports practices, games, and when they don’t…gasp…they are bored! What do they do when they are bored? “Hey, mom….I’m bored. Can we….(fill in the blank with whatever will cost the most money, most time, and most patience)”
Now some parents throw an iPhone, iPad, or Xbox at their kids and that solves the problem. Generally, with my own crazies (excuse me, angels) this backfires big time. So…bye, bye technology. Go outside and play with your friends! (Reply…but it’s hot!) My reply…”Okay, we can move to Alabama and you could already be back in school!” They usually shut up for awhile after that.
Here in NC we are in the final days of summer break. Come Monday…BYE, BYE! Love you! So, essentially we are in the middle of school supply hell.
I went to the store on Sunday to get a birthday card. One item! Everyone else was there getting school supplies. I have NEVER seen a store so insanely packed, and people so crazy. You would’ve thought it was the Friday after Thanksgiving or something. I gave up standing in line for the Scan-n-Go after 40 minutes and getting my legs rammed by two separate women with shopping carts overflowing with supplies. It’s back to school…not armageddon!
Yes, just a few more days until a certain amount of peace and quiet fills the house, if for only a few hours. Parents, enjoy your children while they are home with you. Because time does go too fast. My oldest is entering his senior year of high school. Where did the time go? Seems like yesterday he was learning to crawl to Mommy. Now he wants to run to the opposite end of the country to college. So proud of him. I hope he does get accepted into every school he wants. And if he wants to go two to three time zones away, more power to him. I raised him to be an independent, strong man. This will be Mission Accomplished.
However, parents also recognize that you shouldn’t feel guilty for needing a little time away from your babies. You can miss them while they are at school. Relish your time together. But realize, that they need the separation from you in order to grow into independent young men and women; and you need the separation just as much. Don’t feel guilty about needing your time, about feeling a twinge or more of happiness when the school bus pulls up to the corner…it’s natural.
Now, get ready to pop the cork to celebrate a new school year! And the annual bonfire of school forms will be at my house Monday evening!
Best of luck to all the kids! Best of luck to all the parents, especially you first-timers sending your babies off on their first adventure on the path to becoming adults.
