Back to School

When I was a new mom, I would sometimes hear the mothers of school-aged children talking about their love-hate relationship with school holidays. I'd often hear them talk about how their child was driving them crazy and they just couldn't wait for school to start back.

I'd pity those mothers. I thought they were just missing out on really enjoying and appreciating their children. I'd hug my children closer and know that when my kids were old enough to go to school I wouldn't feel that way.

This morning I awoke, as I do every day, to the riotous sound of my nearly six year old son, bursting with testosterone. He jumps out of his bunk bed and our 100 year old heritage house shakes. He roars and the walls reverberate. He shrieks and yells and screams and I swear the house is going to fall down onto my bed and crush me. I pull my pillow over my head, telling myself "one and a half hours from now I will be dropping him off at school." I chant it over and over in my head as a sort of comforting lifeline to see me safely through another morning of my life.

See, what I didn't know when my kids were babies, is that nearly six-year-olds are different. No matter how much I do, no matter how many hours we spend at the park or the zoo, jumping on the trampoline, or going for nature walks, I cannot wear him out. He will drop at the end of the day, but not before wrestling and roaring and careening down the hall, shaking the floorboards with his energy.

School gives him a mental challenge that he needs. It helps to socially exhaust him. He needs school. I need school for him.

By the end of the two week school holidays we all want school to start again.

Small Sun and Sprout came home from school and preschool today calm, after two weeks of banter and fighting and high emotions. They were ordered and settled, which they certainly have not been around here lately! We had a ton of fun, but it was loud and calamitous, and no one had a quiet moment to think a thing!

It seems that all of us let out a big sigh of relief. 

I think I've made some progress in not judging other parents like I used to. It's easy to judge when you have little experience. These days I do my best to be open minded and realize different things work for different families. 

I imagine if some young mum heard the mothers in the schoolyard this morning, agreeing about how we couldn't wait to get the kids back into the classroom, they might shake their heads and hug their young ones close, and that's just fine. 

Comments

[Kelly]

So true. They just need school. It grounds and centers them. Gives them an outlet for all that energy!

[Wendy Knight]

Yes. Yes. I was considering keeping Joe home for another year, or doing a homeschooled kindergarten. And then a few weeks before registration, I suddenly realized how much he was wearing me out. :)

[shannon2818]

I think this all the time - it's nice to know I'm not the only one and that I shouldn't feel guilty.