Well, the moment has finally arrived — the first day of school. As I prepare to hand over my little one, I want to express my deepest gratitude. Thank you for everything. After barely surviving 95 days of summer with my darling little ones, it’s clear just how much we rely on you. I truly don’t know how you manage it all, but you deserve every accolade, dollar, and a bottle of wine for handling these energetic kiddos every day. Seriously.
Now, right alongside that enormous thank you, I owe you an equally significant apology. Back in May, I envisioned a summer filled with educational adventures. There would be family book clubs! We would sharpen our math skills! We would conduct kitchen science experiments, learn Spanish, and even practice the piano! Summer slide? What summer slide? My kids were going to return to school in September much smarter than when they left in May.
Well… about that… I’m sorry.
I apologize that our summer slide turned into a full-blown “summer slip and slide.” We fell off the educational train rather spectacularly. We had every intention of diving into more books, but the heat and the allure of the swimming pool were too strong.
I’m sorry for all the unfinished activity sheets, for not maintaining a writing journal, and for neglecting math facts and flashcards. I had grand plans for daily educational time, but some days it took all my energy just to keep the kids from bickering. Math facts? Not in the cards.
I’m also sorry that we’ve completely forgotten what a “schedule” looks like. We indulged in popsicles in the living room and watched TV during dinner. Bedtimes slipped later and later until we weren’t even sure what time it really was. A swim in the pool doubled as a bath for days (or was it weeks?) on end. We even had cookies for breakfast and scrambled eggs for dinner. For that, I sincerely apologize.
I regret all the positive habits we let slip away and the bad ones that crept in. We stayed up late, spent long days at the pool, leaped off the diving board countless times, collected shells from the lake, and learned to throw a knuckleball. We climbed trees, took road trips, watched endless movies, and splashed around in the rain. We enjoyed Pokémon Go and indulged in junk food. In short, we were lazy and busy all at once, playful and unscheduled.
In other words, we spent the summer being kids. While I regret a lot of things, I don’t regret that. Childhood is a fleeting, sweet season — just like summer — and sometimes you need to toss the list of “shoulds” aside and soak in every moment of joy.
I know you understand this. You recognize that kids need to enjoy their childhood. So perhaps my apologies for what we didn’t accomplish are more for me than for you. In this busy, achievement-oriented culture we live in, it’s easy to feel guilty for allowing our kids to just be kids.
So, as I drop off my sweet child, who may resemble a wild creature, I extend my most heartfelt thank you and my sincere apologies. I’m sorry that the first week (let’s be honest, the first several weeks) will be quite the spectacle with overtired kids who’ve forgotten how to sit still for even 10 minutes, let alone read a chapter book or work on math facts. Our relaxed summer schedule, sugar habits, and general inertia will undoubtedly make your already challenging job even tougher.
I apologize that while you’re grappling with your own adjustment back to the school year, you’ll also be helping these sun-kissed, sticky, spirited beings transition back into a structured environment. I’m sorry for those early days when you might want to retreat to the janitor’s closet with a bottle of bourbon but will instead greet these bleary-eyed little rascals with unfaltering enthusiasm, ready to ask, “What did you do all summer?” And we both know the answer will not be “practiced math facts” or “finished my reading log.”
Thank you. And I’m sorry. You truly are a superhero. Godspeed! Only 276 days until the next summer.
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In summary, the transition from summer to school can be a rollercoaster ride, filled with both joy and challenges. As we embark on this new school year, let’s remember the importance of childhood and the value of allowing kids to be kids.