My kids are in terror. They are two weeks from starting school. They are living every moment they have left of summer to its fullest. Staying up late, begging to go enjoy the last of the local summertime activities, dreading the school-time schedule that starts next Monday.
(What? You mean we have to go to bed by 10!)
I, on the other hand, am ecstatic. for me school spells a tiny portion of my day that is nothing but peace. A time when the house is quiet, thoughts come easily and distractions are limited to the ones that I create for myself.
Lil’ B. is blissfully unaware that school is pending, but he, like I, will enjoy that he is going back. He loves school. He loves learning, and this year he’s going to a mainstream school, so he should have a much better time with the other kids in class.
For me this means that the chaos of summer will be replaced by some semblance of order. That I will have time to decompress a little. That work will not be constantly sidelined by someone else’s needs, no matter how pressing.
In short, it means I get to go back to being myself for a few hours a day.
Don’t get me wrong. I love, adore and cherish my kids. Unfortunately, since Mom is over 7,000 miles away, I have very little time to hide away and just be… Well…
Me.
I’m Dad. I am the defender of puppies and slayer of bugs. Cleaner of dishes, toilets, sinks and countertops. disciplinarian and buyer of new, cool stuff. But I never just get to be jerry in the summertime. I’m Dad. Full time, 100% of the time.
Until school starts again.
And thank all that is good and pure in the world that the date is upon us very soon. I need to find “me” again.
Peace. I’m out.
