Farewell to the summer!
Both of my boys are playing football this year and practice has begun. Four and five nights a week, one in flag with his dad coaching, the other in his first year of tackle, and me chasing around the little girl walking back and forth between both fields in hopes to catch one of my boys doing something. Dinner needs to be on the table by 4:30, no later than 5:15 we need to be collecting all of our equiptment and pilling into the "VAN" in hopes to show up by 6 for practice, (and the field is only 3 minutes away). Teachers will be in service as of Tuesday, the kids will show their tanned and eager faces the following Monday morning. My summer is gone.
I must admit there is a part of me that is looking forward to getting those kids back to school. By the end of the summer they have had enough of eachother and me. I can no longer enjoy any time with them cause they are all fighting, screaming, and yelling with eachother all day long. So we begin another school year with "Back to School" nights, lunch room duty, school store assignments, homework, projects, PTA functions, fundraisers, and some sort of donation to go with each one of those things. No more sleeping late and going out to lunch, or playing at the park all afternoon. School, homework, dinner, practice, and then off to bed.
I know some live for the structure again. I know some live for the social interaction. I know some live to know who is in what class, and who is starting our first football game, and who bought a new car this year or a new house over the summer. I know some live for that time alone again or not having to worry who is watching their kids while they are at work.
I am not one of those though.
Don't get me wrong I am looking forward to having a few mornings alone. I do enjoy seeing some of the kids and parents I have not seen all summer also. And the structure IS welcomed after a summer of whatever, whenever. It all justs lasts too long. It will be nine and a half months before I get my children back. When they are returned to me they will be another year older and more independent. It will be half way into June before I can eat lunch with my oldest everyday again and he will be Eight. Nine and a half months before I won't have to hurry them out the door in the morning, hurry them in the door in the afternoon, and hurry them into bed every night.
I know that's my job. I just like the fun stuff better, and I bet they will never know that. I bet they will never know how much I wanted to let them sleep late, or skip school, or stay up past their bedtime. I bet they will never know that I agree with them when they say I am being mean, I also agree that a lollipop before dinner probably won't ruin their appetite. They will never know I did not enjoy teaching them to respect others or work hard at everything they do. They will never know I hated grounding them more than they hated being grounded. They will never know any of it, and if I said it to them they would not believe me cause I am "The Enemy".
So I say good bye to the summer where I get to play the good guy a little more often, and hello to being the bad guy again for nine and a half months. September is always bitter sweet.
posted by all that's right, or not @ 8/18/2006
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