As August winds down, the smell of schoolbooks and school cafeteria pizza lunches fill the air.  Yep, it's back-to-school time, a time of year that evokes mixed emotions:  excitement, sadness, anticipation, depression.  So, here we list the 5 best and the 5 worst things about the kids going back to school. 


The 5 Best



  • Time to yourself:  With the squeal of the school bus air brake, you breathe a sigh of relief.  Sure, you have lots to do, but for a least a few moments a day, you have time to relax, take a shower, maybe even (gasp!) read a book.  Though you love your kids, there's nothing like a little "me" time to recharge your mom batteries.



  • A regular schedule:  Summer is all about winging it.  During the school year, you can get the family on a regular eating, working, and sleeping schedule.  Consequently, you all feel more disciplined and more productive.



  • New friends:  Your child is making new friends, and you are too!  Through school activities and your child's friends' parents, your social circle expands.  Your family gets to engage in new activities and new experiences.



  • Your child is learning.  It's amazing to see your child learn and grow.  Through homework help, you also might discover new things or re-learn things you forgot.  It's a cool and educational way to bond with your little one.



  • Less bickering:  With siblings home together all day long, bickering is inevitable.  Less time together coupled with more time focusing on school, sports, and clubs, and your children aren't as apt to fight.  At least, you hope.



The 5 Worst



  • School shopping:  School supplies, new clothes, backpacks, juice boxes, ugh.  You're trying to be less consumeristic, but it's hard once the school year rears its money-hungry head.  And the crowds?  It's enough to make you go Amish.



  • Early wakeups:  What sadistic school administrator thought that 7 a.m. was a good time to start school?  Coffee?  Just hook it to our veins, please.



  • Less quality time:  During the summer, the family could take a weekend trip, spend time at the park, and chat around a barbeque dinner.  Now, you're all busy, making it hard to eat dinner en masse, let alone spend time on activities like scrapbooking or nature walking.



  • Less help around the house:  In June, you can get done all the little jobs that were neglected during the rest of the year.  Once school starts, your helpers (a.k.a. "children") are away most of the day, leaving the bulk of the work for, you guessed it, mom.



  • Stress:  Mary has basketball practice, and Bobby needs to be driven to the tutor, and Sarah needs help with her science fair project, and, and, and!!!!  These days, stress is par for the course during the school year, but that fact doesn't make it suck any less.  Remember, take a few minutes to breathe every day.  Your family will thank you, and so will your sanity!




What are your favorite and least favorite things about the kids going back to school?




Showing the Latest of 2 Comments

micah_s
2 yearss ago
I love lists! And my little one returning to school is a perfect time (since I have all these freshly sharpened pencils to play with) :) 5 Worst Things: • Homework! I sometimes think I do more homework than my kid does... • The Morning Mess - every school morning it seems like a tornado hit our household - • Silence - sometimes silence is golden, sometimes it is deafening - • Report Cards - I used to dread receiving them as a kid, I still dread opening them now - luckily my kid has been a pretty good student so far, but I always get that feeling in the pit of my stomach of uh-oh - • The End of Summer Fun - summer is fun for the parents too! Outings, movies, amusement parks, etc. Sigh. 5 Best Things: I'm gonna disagree with Christine on a couple of things -- • The Wake Up Call - love waking up my kid in the morning - she doesn't wanna get up easily, but it gives me a chance to be creative - sometimes I sing her awake (sometimes out of tune for better effect), sometimes it's a tickle fest, sometimes it's the classic blanket pull - • Shopping! Love school shopping - brings me back to my childhood - the colorful pencils, the erasers that look yummy enough to eat, the cool notebooks - and kids these days get the coolest little gadgets that we didn't have - • School related activities - I love getting involved. Bake sales, book fairs, School plays, PTA meetings, the works! • The School Lunch - I always get a giggle when I think of my little one opening her packed lunch and the face she's gonna make that day - don't get me wrong, I'm not cruel and make broccoli & spinach sandwiches, but I do sometimes like to go for a certain gourmet flair - • The hugs are sweeter because of the absence -
 
MeMyselfandMommy
2 yearss ago
My daughter doesn't start school for a few years, but I work at a local college. When school starts, my house falls apart. It's impossible to keep up with the daily chores and cooking. We just do our best to get by, day by day.