Transitions

I am watching it happen. Summer is ending. Both girls have gone back to school and I have been given the gift of 3 afternoons per week to complete all of the glamorous tasks that I am called to do. But before I start bragging about organizing closets and sweeping out the garage, I want to take a moment to write about how difficult it must be to transition from summer back into being a student (or mom with a schedule to keep).

I would like for my kids to just go back to school and resign themselves to the fact that they are expected to take responsibility for various things, behave like decent members of society and make me proud while they are not in my presence. However, since my kids are human, they are having a bit of a struggle getting used to their new routines. I am trying to be understanding where this transition is concerned. Consider for a moment going back to school from a child's perspective: You have been having the time of your life for the past 3 months, living in a neighborhood PACKED with kids your age. You have been on vacation, had family visits, stayed up late, ate s'mores at bonfires and reveled in the love of those close to you. You have been swimming, have had fireworks shows and lit sparklers, been to the zoo, to a water park and have had too many playdates to count. AND THEN BOOM!!! You wake up one morning (much earlier than has been expected for the past several months) and you are expected to get on a bus and work all day, often in a room full of people that you don't know, with a teacher who seems to expect ALOT out of you. When you finally arrive home from school, you are expected to do homework (what?), practice piano (or whatever extracurricular said child is involved it), shower/bathe, clean your room and read. All before 8 or 8:30 when you have to go to bed. Not much of your day includes fun. It cannot be easy to go from almost non-stop fun to responsibility. Especially when you're 7. Or 4. Or 35.

Along with my children, I am watching the sun set on our summer with a sad, yet full heart. I can see my back yard changing back from a magical forest into y dry grass and trees- leaves dangling and ready to fall. I can see the drum and guitar fashioned from household castoffs, yet perfect for Madeline's "band", turning back into an old oatmeal canister and shoebox. I look outside in the evening and instead of being greeted with soaking wet children screaming in delight, it is silent on Gala Drive. It is almost safe to put the beach towels and goggles away until the special occasion to swim presents itself in the coming, colder months.

I'm not sure who is grieving the most over the loss of summer. However much I appreciate time to attend to long overdue household tasks, I am constantly reminded that my kids are not "all mine" anymore. I have to share them with teachers and friends. It will not be long before my children are grown up and I do not have them to dote on and enjoy during those warm summer months. We will all transition to this new routine in time. We will all be patient and eventually we'll get used to this new school year where we all have a new set of roles and responsibilities. The good news is that at the end of the responsibility and routine lies another summer on Gala Dr. And for that- I am grateful.