The end of the school year...the sound of excited kids as they gain a freedom from schoolwork....the sound of my own sigh as I realize I, too, have gained freedom...You gotta love summer!! But with all of these great things, there tends to be a loss of balance. You might find yourself in a whirlwind of activities or you might find yourself with a house full of "bored" kids. Without a set direction for each day, life can feel off kilter. At first, it feels great, but by the end of summer, you can almost feel excited to get back on schedule....to get balanced. The kids will whine and complain. The daily battle to get school done will commence. The memories of a fun summer spent doing fun activities like going to the pool, the beach, hanging with friends and (for my daughter at least) a trip to Europe will make for lots of daydreams and a tough road to reality, but somehow all of this works towards a place of balance and peace.
For us, school starts in a week and a half. Last summer, I had school planned out by mid-summer. I had the WHOLE year planned. I learned a lesson then as life steps in and turns things upside down and my year plan went out the window. This summer, I have done a little planning here and there and even now, things pop up that cause me to need to re-work things. I am in the unique position this year of planning for my 3rd grader and my 9th grader...I have a kid starting high school...no pressure.
I have organized our school space. As I look around at what will be my kids and my home for the next several months, I pat myself on the back for a job well done and I can feel the scales tipping more towards a balance. As I slowly get curriculum in, I work on getting it sorted out for whatever student it is for. I am in a constant state of planning, making lists, and, as the first day of school draws closer, a constant state of panic. I panic at the fear that it will not all get done...but I also feel that balance tipping more and more on the other side as it gets more and more balance. Math planned....scales even out a bit more.....grammar done....a bit more.
This summer has been a fantastic one filled with great memories for both my kids. My son got to spend a week with his best friend at the beach. My daughter went to Europe with our church. We met up with friends, saw many movies, lots of kids running up and down my stairs, trips for ice cream, frozen yogurt, cheesecake, trips to the pool, etc. As fun as it has been...I am ready to get back to real life. I am ready to get back to schedules and order. In a week and a half, school resumes at the Kozlowski Christian School of Excellence. BRING. IT. ON.
For us, school starts in a week and a half. Last summer, I had school planned out by mid-summer. I had the WHOLE year planned. I learned a lesson then as life steps in and turns things upside down and my year plan went out the window. This summer, I have done a little planning here and there and even now, things pop up that cause me to need to re-work things. I am in the unique position this year of planning for my 3rd grader and my 9th grader...I have a kid starting high school...no pressure.
I have organized our school space. As I look around at what will be my kids and my home for the next several months, I pat myself on the back for a job well done and I can feel the scales tipping more towards a balance. As I slowly get curriculum in, I work on getting it sorted out for whatever student it is for. I am in a constant state of planning, making lists, and, as the first day of school draws closer, a constant state of panic. I panic at the fear that it will not all get done...but I also feel that balance tipping more and more on the other side as it gets more and more balance. Math planned....scales even out a bit more.....grammar done....a bit more.
This summer has been a fantastic one filled with great memories for both my kids. My son got to spend a week with his best friend at the beach. My daughter went to Europe with our church. We met up with friends, saw many movies, lots of kids running up and down my stairs, trips for ice cream, frozen yogurt, cheesecake, trips to the pool, etc. As fun as it has been...I am ready to get back to real life. I am ready to get back to schedules and order. In a week and a half, school resumes at the Kozlowski Christian School of Excellence. BRING. IT. ON.
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