My Love/Hate Relationship with Back to School

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My Love_Hate Relationshipwith Back to SchoolOnce upon a time, I lived for back to school time. I would be just like that office supply commercial with the parent gleefully shopping back to school supplies with “Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” playing in the background. Summers were hard. Freedom, ahem, I mean school was easier. But as my kids got older, summers became less stressful and more fun so now I am conflicted. Do I love it or hate it? I am like the homeowners at the end of that annoying home improvement show.

So I like everything else in my life, I decided to organize it into a list.

Why I love BTS:

  • Schedules: I love me some schedules. I like to know. Plan. Organize. It is impossible to do that during the summer.
  • Time: To run errands. To grocery shop. Finish laundry. Complete a thought.
  • Freedom: The ability to run to the mall. Get a pedicure. See a movie with my husband. Have lunch with a friend.
  • No concept of time: I can’t tell you what day of the week it is without looking at my calendar.
  • A break from endless questions like: What are we going to do today? What are we eating for our next meal? Can we go _____________? Will you play with me? I am bored.

Why I hate BTS:

  • Schedules: School means no flexibility. It means after school activities, weekend sports and reading logs.
  • Waking up early: I’d like to have words with the genius who decided my new 7th grader needs to be on the bus by 6:45AM.
  • No evening free time: By the time the kids get home, have a snack, play do homework, eat dinner, have practice and go to bed, I have no energy left for anything.
  • Packing lunches: It sucks.
  • Five long days: Is it Friday yet?
  • Filling out forms and writing checks: I may have just signed away my house and donated my body to science. I stopped reading these things years ago.

What have my lists told me? Nothing. Except maybe I will never be happy unless I have something to complain about.

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Jennifer Amazon
I grew up in Wilmington, OH but am a Cincinnati girl at heart. I attended The (BEST) Ohio University, after which I met and married my husband of 18 years. After 2 kids (a 13 year old boy and a 8 year old girl) and 2 moves (Portland OR and Greensboro NC) we are back in our hometown and enjoying all Greater Cincinnati has to offer. As a contributor, I hope to pass on my love for this town and remind everyone that parenting is a messy business that is best dealt with a sense of humor, a stiff drink and a supporting cast of family and friends as crazy as you are

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