Back-To-School Means Something Different Here

In only four Mondays, summer vacation as we know it will end for the kids in our town. And, while I should just be enjoying the summer, I am starting to sweat the start of our school days.

Why? Let me count the ways:

1. The "start of school" means I go back to some sort of schedule of teaching my precocious, stubborn, lovely, moody seven-year-old.

2. I meant to do "School Lite" all summer so that she wouldn't forget everything she learned last year (especially math, blah). "Meant to" are the operative words.

3. This fall marks the start of Kindergarten for #2. And, while Kindergarten is not mandatory in our state (meaning I do not have to report her work to the school district), I would like to do some basic math and reading with her. This means juggling two kids around our kitchen table.

4. Oh, and I have a third to keep occupied during these hours. A third child who wants mommy to drop everything to "build a road and a house" out of blocks. Now.

5. Our homeschool coop will start up in September. As will Sunday School (I teach), Brownies & Daisy Scouts (resisting the call to lead a troop), dance class, gymnastics, swimming (thankfully, I do not teach any of those) and some social activity for D if he will ever allow himself to be potty trained and dropped off somewhere for a few hours.

6. All the while, I'd like to get washboard abs, cook homemade dinners nightly, enjoy my new job, write here and here, and hopefully see my husband from time to time as he juggles his crazy life.

The nicest thing? No more mad dashes for the school bus. Now, excuse me while I go to rouse everyone for Camp Week Two. We have a bus to catch.