by Danielle Christopher
It is not the most wonderful time of the year.
Under the bright fluorescent light highlighting the school supply section, I am biting my lip to fight off the tears that are about to come. In one hand I have the school supply list for my five-year-old entering Grade 1. In my other hand I have my three-year-old’s hand who is watching her sister pick crayons.
I must be the craziest mom on the planet. I see the glint of happiness in other parents eyes as they are counting down to sending their kids back to school. The commercials are filled with parents happy to send their kids away.
My mind fills with all the things we have done this summer: parks, pool, movies and lots of playtime. The girls have bonded so well. My youngest is undergoing behavior therapy to help her with her autistic tendencies. Her social skills have sharpened so fast. I think it’s because it’s having her sister home. There is a lot of social interactions for the sisters.
I have to confess that I have had a lot of fun this summer playing with my daughters. I took less freelance work to free up time. My childhood memories are filled of fun with my mom: movies, road trips and a lot of time in the backyard. Summer is going too fast. They are growing up so fast!
I am not looking forward to school lunch prep or the scramble to get out the door each morning. My oldest is an early bird while her sister likes to sleep late.
I see my darling picking her pencil crayons very seriously. She looks up at me to see if I approve of her selection. I nod and smile. With the list done, we head to the cashier.
With that out of the way now I will look to fill the rest of the summer with fun. After all, Christmas vacation will come fast too.
What can I say – I love my girls and will miss them.
Are you sad about kids going back to school?
Danielle Christopher is a stay-at-home mom of two daughters and a freelance writer. Her teen story is in the collection “Parent/Teen Stories: Without Judgement”. She lives with her husband of seventeen years and her girls in Langley, B.C.. Follow her on Twitter.
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