Summer vacation means twelve consecutive, unpredictable
weeks at home with our children. For
many parents, September promises routine and a cleaner, quieter home. Some moms gleefully push those kids out the
door come the first day of school. However, for others, the back to school bell
can ring a bittersweet sound.
Although a mom appreciates the extra perks of having her
children in someone else's care, spending so many hours alone can cause a
previously occupied mother's mind to wander. Add morning routines, homework, extracurriculars
and bedtimes, and new stresses are created for both parents and children.
With our charming Michigan summer coming to a close, and the
first day of school looming, I find myself clinging to small moments with my
four children. I hug them longer, pay closer attention to what they say and stare
more intently at their faces. They are growing and changing faster than any
parent can comprehend. These moments I know are fleeting, and somehow, I don't
always find time for them during the hustle and bustle of the school year. My
favorites are the long evenings, when the sun doesn't seem to want to settle
behind the clouds. With the extended light, our little rascals become night
owls, and they harbor themselves in our basement for an indoor sibling camp-out.
"Mom, will you make us some popcorn?"
At 9:30 on a school night, they already would be in their bedrooms, but during summer, most anything goes. I take two bags of hot and steamy freshly popped corn downstairs to my giggling goofballs. They are watching Cake Wars or America's Got Talent together, with blankets, pillows and stuffed animals taking up every inch of carpet and couch. I'm not claiming we don't hear any arguing. (Obviously, it happens, which is why we love that our basement has a door.) On the nights when they keep their spats to a minimum, the four eventually fall asleep with their legs intertwined with one another, their growing arms sprawled across someone else's face.
At 9:30 on a school night, they already would be in their bedrooms, but during summer, most anything goes. I take two bags of hot and steamy freshly popped corn downstairs to my giggling goofballs. They are watching Cake Wars or America's Got Talent together, with blankets, pillows and stuffed animals taking up every inch of carpet and couch. I'm not claiming we don't hear any arguing. (Obviously, it happens, which is why we love that our basement has a door.) On the nights when they keep their spats to a minimum, the four eventually fall asleep with their legs intertwined with one another, their growing arms sprawled across someone else's face.
When September comes, we only allow basement slumber parties
on occasional weekends. Something about the freedom of summer makes me so much
more relaxed. While I am looking forward to many aspects of this school year, I
am aware of the blessings I'll miss when they are not in my home throughout the
day:
The sounds of their yawns
My teenager asking me about a word in a book he's reading
Baking buddies in the kitchen
All of us meeting their dad for his lunch break
Always having somebody to play a game with me
When the youngest says, "Mom, can you cover me with a
blanket?"
Rainy days spent in pajamas, having pancakes for lunch
Day trips when I sing the wrong lyrics to current songs and
make everyone laugh
When my little one needs me to attach tiny arms on his Lego
people
Park dates, beach parties, Froyo, bike riding, water balloon fights and
blueberry donuts
Most moms I know switch between feeling blissful and blue on the first day of school. Whether you are jumping for joy or crying in your Cheerios, remember that those stinkers always come back home to their mamas.
This post originally appeared in my featured column, "Perspectives," in the September issues of Lakeside Living and South Shore Neighbors Magazines.
