Jen's Column / End o' School Year

Catching up! This column ran at the end of May... :)

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Just six days until summer vacation. I've had the countdown in my head for at least a month — far longer than either of my children.

My boys have no idea that I'm more excited for summer break than they are. I mean, I haven't exactly been dancing around my house screaming, "Only one week of school left…"

Actually, OK, I have. But only after they say it first.

It's not that I dislike school. Quite the opposite, actually. My kids attend such a great elementary school that I can't even think of an appropriate superlative to describe it. Mrs. Van Vooren, Bergen's kindergarten teacher, has to be one of the most positive people I've ever met. Christian's teacher, Mrs. Ace, managed to get a class of 8-year-olds to memorize the names of all the U.S. presidents in order. I've been listening to him recite those names all year and I still can't do it.

No, the reason I'm practically holding my breath until June 5 is because the routine is killing me. I'm tired of mornings.

Here's a typical school morning at my house: I wake up, look at the clock and decide that we can definitely get it together to make it to the bus. I wake the kids. I ask them to get dressed. I explain why I don't have time to make tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast. I remind my kindergartner to get dressed. I make one child frozen waffles and another toast and cereal. I pour milk. I dig in the fridge for syrup. I realize we have no syrup. I call my mom to ask how she makes homemade syrup on the stovetop. I remind my kindergartner to get dressed. I realize we don't have time to make it to the bus after all. I ask the boys to brush their teeth — one at a time so they won't fight over who stands in front of the sink. I demand that my kindergartner get dressed. I go through the checklist: Do you have your snack? Homework? Sweatshirt? Permission slip? Library book? I tell my kindergartner that if he doesn't get dressed right now he is going to school in his pajamas. I realize I'm still in my pajamas. I get dressed. We get in the van. I run back to the house to find my keys. I call my husband. I say, "Have you seen my keys?" in such a way that insinuates that he's the one who lost them. I find my keys in my purse. We drive to school. I weep.

OK, I don't actually weep. I just kind of sigh. But really loudly.

And that, my friends, is why I love summer vacation. Here's a typical summer morning at our house: We get up. We have a leisurely breakfast — maybe on the deck. We walk around the backyard barefoot. We play.

Oh, how I love just seeing where the day takes us.

Between the boys' activities and getting my writing in, it could be easy to fill the summer, too. But I try very hard to give the kids plenty of time just for playing. I mean, we're not recluses. My kids are looking forward to Quarry Hill Camp. They'll play baseball. Christian's trying his hand at Invention Camp. But just as importantly, I schedule time — entire weeks — just for playing. For taking walks and trying out new skateboard tricks. For exploring at Foster Ahrends. For baking brownies and watering the garden — in the hopes that it might actually turn into a water fight.

The best part about having a leisurely summer is that you're really ready for the routine to start again in the fall. Which is why, come September, I'll probably have a new countdown: "Only six days until school starts!"