Ten Things I Love about the Start of School

Tomorrow is their first day and I have their backpacks ready to go.  I have the promise of going to the pool dangling over their heads to convince them that we can still celebrate the last day of summer vacation if they finish all the projects they've put off without me nagging.  The Staples commercial showing parents gliding down the aisles to the tune of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," still puts me in stitches because there's an element of joy to this annual tradition.  So, sorry kids, here's my top ten reasons for loving the return of the school schedule.


10) Fights over anything can be solved with the simple question, "Have you done your homework yet?"

9) Bed time can be strictly enforced without any sense of guilt over depriving my children of time watching classic movies, playing card games or goofing off in general.

8) I can stop living in fear that someone will mention the word "Camping" after someone else says, "What should we do this weekend?"

7) Won't have to nag about summer projects.

6) Will no longer have to figure out how to tactfully suggest that the outfit chosen for the day is not quite weather appropriate (corduroy pants and a sweater), or doesn't go (lavender with polka-dots shirt and plaid green shorts). Uniforms are a great great thing.

5) I'm no longer the sole fall guy. Saying, "Would you do this/say this/act like this in front of....insert teacher's name?" carries weight.


4) Patrolling the house to do a morning clean up will not have to wait until after 10 am; as all the kids who might object to such an action will be already in school.

3) My dining room table will no longer be the great Lego housing spot, co-opted for a giant game of Risk or held frozen in the midst of a three day Magic tournament. We might be able to...I don't know, eat on it again.

2) Because free time becomes more rare, weekends will now include a weekend cookout and a Sunday Nerf football game.  No one is exempted.  (Except this year, I'm the ref).  It's fun because occasionally the grown ups win and trash talk is not only allowed, it's presumed. 

1) My default driving setting, (to go to Saint Martin's) if I'm not thinking about it, 90% of the time won't be wrong.

Have a great school year!