It’s been one heck of a school year, hasn’t it? Between Common Core strife; snow day upon snow day; and mounds of homework, tests, and projects, we can finally see a finish line. From my view, it looks bright, shiny, and just within our reach. In fact, I can almost smell the paint from that brand-new finish line, and I’m so eager to reach it, I can practically touch it. I sound worse than the kids, right? I admit it. I look forward to summer vacation just as much as the children do.
I don’t quite remember looking forward to it as much when I was raising my first daughter, who is now 21. I have always enjoyed a leisurely summer, but the insane curriculum and test prep of the state exams for my youngest combined with the strenuous college prep curriculum, Regents, and SATs for my teen has left us all in need of a very long mental vacation. Even 10 to 15 years ago, the pressure to get into a good school (take your pick of any grade ranging from pre-school to college) was not as fierce.
Of course, the summer will not be without academic work. The kids come home in early June with large packets of math and English work, along with reading assignments. But the day-to-day grind of constant academic demands will lighten immensely at the end of this month.
The unrelenting winter did not help. Most of this school year felt like winter, even when it was technically spring. I look forward to the long days spent by the pool and coast, late dinners on the grill, and lax bedtimes. Yes, there will be the “I’m bored” moments, but for some reason after this past year, I am not dreading it.
As much as the kids and I are eager to start the summer of 2014, I can imagine that teachers are even more ready to close up their classrooms. The Common Core curriculum was, perhaps, more difficult on them as they tried to teach their subjects to the best of their ability while also prepping kids for the tests. My son’s teachers did an outstanding job of nudging the children along all year (starting back in the fall when they began test prep) while also keeping up with their curriculum as best they could. I think the teachers and students did a fabulous job but I am so relieved that this will all be over for at least a few months. They have earned a long and fun-filled vacation.
As moms and dad, I think we have, too. Just think, we have 10 weeks of never saying “do you have homework,” “do your homework,” “do you have a test,” “did you study,” and the absolute best one of all, “did you remember your lunch?” (I think I hate making school lunches more than anything else during the school year and I can’t exactly pinpoint why.) But it doesn’t matter now because no more pencils, no more books, no more darn lunches to cook. Bring it on summer. We’re more than ready!
Danielle Sullivan, a mom of three, has worked as a writer and editor in the parenting world for more than 10 years. Sullivan also writes about pets and parenting for Disney’s Babble.com. Find Sullivan on her blogs, Just Write Mom and Some Puppy To Love.
