As Labor Day weekend comes to a close, it signals the official goodbye to Summer. Day trips to the beach and cousin sleepovers during the week are no longer possible. Back-to-school jitters start creeping in. From what I’ve gathered from my friends, summer seemed to pass by too quickly. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer… but Halleluiah!
I spent the long holiday weekend at the Jersey Shore…
in South Jersey with my family and my sister’s family. We walked back and forth from the boardwalk, although we didn’t spend much time in the ocean. My sister and I decided that it was too much trouble to take the kids in and out of the water, collect all our belongings, trudge back to the rental, and have them take a cold outdoor shower. It’s just too overwhelming. Nevertheless, the kids enjoyed themselves with hours of hide-and-seek and imaginative play. (The wifi wasn’t working, so no television to the rescue.) The adults hung out on the porch, sipping cocktails and enjoying each other’s company.
My older teenagers joined us for the last couple of days, and I’ve reached that point in parenthood where I feel most at ease when all my children are together under the same roof. It isn’t always the case. My bigs have jobs and friends. They’re too cool to always be around the littles. The weekend was simply awesome, even though it was tiring with five energetic children under the age of nine on vacation. We left early to avoid traffic and made it home with time to spare, allowing us to relax before the school chaos began.
It is clear that my kids and I need to establish a routine again. The later bedtimes and sporadic waking hours were no help. My youngest son had already had two breakfasts and an early snack before 10 AM AND had already inquired about lunch. (He has seemingly developed a habit of snacking all day long.) I’d prepare them for pool time with sunscreen, only for them to get out after 15 minutes due to the water being too cold. At times, I’ve had to resort to using the television as a babysitter, which I’m not proud of.
Hello to all things Fall!
School is now back in session, as are the sporting events and activities that all seem to overlap. It is the season of Cross Country races and baking with cinnamon. At last night’s Back-to-school night, my daughter signed herself up for drama club and announced she wanted to play the lead role in the Fall production. Another school year has started!
To all the parents putting their children on buses this week, Good Luck! I have had four “First Days of Kindergarten” and this year I have my first “Senior Year.” Take lots of photos to look back at, and volunteer when you can. They will remember!
