Back To School And The Universe Is In Order

It’s been almost a week since I once again began breathing normally.  As the first week of school comes to an end, I can’t help but feel that the universe is back in order.  School-age wee folk are not in Shop-Rite anymore and only adults are clustered at the two Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks in town.  Not that I didn’t enjoy the summer with my sweet, charming children.  I just needed them to be sweet and charming elsewhere.  After camp and our vacation ended, I was once again bombarded with the question, sometimes a demand, of “what are we going to do today?” and the inevitable question to myself of what WAS I going to do with them that day. 

When I was growing up, I never asked my mother that question.  It wasn’t up to her to amuse me, so I’d either watch endless TV or find something to do.  Now with a myriad of studies showing (wag your finger) that too much TV is very bad for kids (it leads to obesity, lower attention spans, etc.), I feel compelled to do more with them.  And I WANT to do more with them besides read and play board games.  Plus, whereas my mother did not have a car, I have the ability to take them places.  So we went to the ocean, lakes, museums, amusement parks, the wonderful Livingston pools, bowling, and I drove them to and hosted playdates.

They had a good summer, I had a good summer.  My wallet took a hit, but as any parent knows, summers are expensive.  Toward the end of August, it was clear that the party was over.  Sibling arguments intensified.  My kids were ready, even eager, to go back to school.  I was pooped and, frankly, tired of refereeing the endless squabbles over things as trivial as why one was sitting in the other’s favorite chair and which kid was in the other’s airspace.   Now I know why some animals eat their young.

While my children are still a bit sad that summer is over, they’re happy to be back in school.  They’re minds are engaged, activities are in full swing, and I’m ready to tackle the long list of projects I couldn’t get to while they were around.  The universe is back on track.  I can breathe again.