Back to School

Well, another school year has crept up on us once again. I'm not a teacher, but my mom was, and I have several teacher friends, so I'm pretty sure I speak for all of them when I say, "Wha...? Already?"

Yes, it's time to put away the swimming suits and baseball gloves and bring out the Trapper Keepers and gallon-sized jugs of hand sanitizer. It's time to switch our schedules back to "first shift" and stock up on K-Cups.

Because navigating the drop-off lane goes so much smoother with Folgers in your cup.

Last year, I could not wait for school to begin. Not because I love the smell of freshly sharpened pencils or because I secretly yearn for my girls to eat, sleep and breathe school like their mama did. No, last year, I had purely selfish interests in mind when the calendar turned to August.

You see, last May (if you remember), I left the professional world for the first time since I was 14 years old to stay home with my four girls. A wise decision, for sure, but absolutely horrid timing. What was I thinking becoming a stay-at-home mom for the first time when school was about to end and I would have all four of my littles at home with me... all day... every day???

I needed a gradual transition, not baptism by fire!

And, my normal, organized self went into this motherhood thing without a plan for what we would do or how we would spend our days aside from a couple of weeks of swimming lessons. I seriously had no idea how to be a stay-at-home mom. We winged it last summer, and honestly, I barely survived. By the beginning of July, I was ready to ship the girls off to boarding school... in Switzerland...

So, I was ready for a break, and the first day of school couldn't come soon enough. Even the sappy thought of sending another one to kindergarten couldn't mask the elation I felt when I returned home with only two kids.

As the year went on, we settled into a routine. I got a handle on this full-time mommy gig and learned a lot from some of my mommy friends who already were staying at home. What? There's a story time at the library? What? There's weekly playgroups? Wait... what's a playgroup?

Being a working mom from Day 1, I'd never been exposed to these things because my girls were in day care all day long. There really weren't any activities like that in the evenings (not that we really had time for them anyway). All of those things were new to me.

So, I got lots of good ideas and made so many plans for this summer. I was on the ball, and I was bound and determined that my girls were not going to drive me to insanity (think Jack Nicholson in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest") by July 1.

And we had such a great summer this year.

Was I frazzled? Occasionally (but what mommy isn't from time to time?). Were we disorganized sometimes? Sure. Were we late to appointments? Um, always... But, just having some experience behind me and going into the summer break with a plan (whether it was followed or not), made things so much easier and more enjoyable.

I didn't want summer to end this year. I was sad to see my oldest two head back to school yesterday. I just wasn't ready. They, on the other hand, were chomping at the bit to go back. It makes me proud that they enjoy school so much, but they need to stop growing up so fast already.

Seriously.

I took one to third grade and one to first grade... and Number 3 is starting pre-school in a couple of weeks...

 

 

Slow. Down.

Admittedly, my days in the next few weeks will become a lot easier, at least in the mornings. I'm going to have to find something else to occupy my time.

 

Or maybe not. Number 4 seems to be taking after her ornery 4-year-old sister...