Back to school blues?

When you are a stay-at-home mom (or whatever PC term is being used these days) there really is no such thing as summer vacation. All the days just seem to melt together.

So when my oldest started school a few years ago I began to see what is was like to have a few hours of one less kid in the house. Last year I got to see that magic times two when my son started preschool. And this year, well, this year all three of my adorable, sweet, very loud children will be attending school.

The little one will only be gone a few hours each morning, but still it is a couple hours all to myself. I might even be able to have a coherent thought, or finish a cup of coffee while it’s still hot. But let’s not get greedy, Sarah.

I envision trips to the grocery store where I don’t have to tell a child to put something down or come back here (at least not without getting some strange looks). I might actually get my hair cut – something I have only gotten around to doing once since we moved here a year ago (that one I’ll take the heat on, but still it will be nice). I even might get to write an entire article for this publication start to finish without being interrupted a dozen times.

So while many parents may dread the start of the school year and their kids going back to school – I must admit I won’t. I love my kids I really do, but after four months of the yelling and fighting and complaining and whining I won’t shed too many tears when they skip off to their classrooms. Luckily there has been plenty of smiling and hugs and laughter as well.

Plus I am happy to say they are all completely ready to go. My soon-to-be second grader has been asking when school was going to start since the end of July. My son is excited to be going the “big kid” school for pre-K and my youngest was so excited to start preschool that it was her main motivation to become potty trained. (Thank you Ms. Jen! We are now diaper free for the first time in seven and a half years!)

I know I should be sad and I will admit that there is a small part of me that is. No more babies at home. No more snuggling on the couch in our pajamas on a Tuesday or spontaneous stops at the bakery for a doughnut on a Thursday.  I know I will miss the tiny little hand grabbing mine as we walk across the parking lot.

But I know I am lucky that I DID get all that time with them and while I may hold back a tear as my older kids climb on that big yellow school bus and my youngest hangs her new backpack on her hook for the very first time, I realize they are growing up and this is just the next step in our lives.

That brings me to another realization – Mama needs a job!