As a kid, I was always happy and anxious to go back to school! Now many years older, and four years past my last child graduating from high school, my attitude and disposition toward the end of the summer has evolved tremendously.
The first September without a child in school was an eerily weird feeling, since I was accustom to a ritual that became second nature.
For seventeen years it was normal for me to complete the emergency contact information for two children who attended two different schools. This also marked the beginning of scheduling of children’s activities associated with school, church, and any sport league they participated in.
This also marked the time of selling Boy Scout popcorn, school fundraiser items to include either candy, pizza, wrapping paper and the scholastic book sales in elementary school. Back to school parent teacher nights, report cards, homework, tutors, parents of school band meetings, Football meetings, PTA meetings and whatever I volunteered for.
Now as I see the commercials and advertisements about back to school sales, I simply shake my head and realize I have survived those days of purchasing clothing, school supplies, for children, pre-teens and teenagers who did or did not like my fashions sense, and the stress of hoping your child may or may not like their new teacher or friends.
This was a great time to watch the growth of my children’s and I have photos to prove it and I plan to show them at weddings and to the grand-children because this is proof that they were once young enough to listen and innocent enough to see life with such wonderment.
I’m now able to appreciate the years of stressful parenting knowing I do not ever have to live through those years again.
Now, I recall fond memories of my first days of school from elementary through high school and especially college. I still look forward to September as a refreshing start to learning something new, which is why since retiring, I’ve taken many online college classes offered by Coursera https://www.coursera.org
I’m currently enrolled in an online class titled, “A Brief History of Humankind”, that started Aug. 25, 2014 and I enjoy taking a class, and absorbing the knowledge of something new.
So there are no “August blues” here, just a smile on my face knowing there is no parent teacher meeting, report cards, or scheduling conflicts to worry about.
Hallelujah!!
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