Here we are on the eve of another school year…

and I’m already tired just thinking about it

Our public school year kicks off this coming Monday in Chicago and I am anxious already at the thought. Today (Friday) we had our back to school visit where the kids bring in school supplies, meet the teacher, pay school fees, and fill out forms. We had a great, albeit shortened summer this year due to a longer school year and the teacher strike. The best part of summer, honestly, is the fact that it’s mostly unscheduled time. Getting up late with the kids and having breakfast at 10:30AM in your pajamas was no big deal in the summer. However…

once the school year starts, we are looking at 6:30AM wake up times (for a 5 and a 9-year old). This necessitates a bedtime of around 8:30PM. You should also realize that my kids won’t get home from school til about 4:30PM. For the 5-year old starting kindergarten, that translates from a 2.5 hour school day last year to a 10-hour day if you include bus transport time. Our household becomes a regimented, militaristic-style exercise in logistical efficiency when school is in session: get home, do homework, clean-up, fix dinner, eat, wash and put away dishes, maybe read a bedtime story, then it’s time for bed. There’s not much leeway or downtime during the week.

One positive though, is that with both kids in school full-time, I should have more time to myself. I say _should_ because already I have been roped into volunteering at school for the next 2 weeks due to staffing shortages caused by the unending budgetary crisis affecting Chicago public schools.

So, fellow parents, enjoy those last waning days of summer. Squeeze out those last few moments of unstructured time (hope you didn’t forget to buy school supplies; the store shelves are practically picked over by now) and hold tight until next June, or at least til Christmas break.