This morning, I got to wake up to see all the sweet first day of school posts all over my Facebook. All the kids with their braids and backpacks and bright little smiles in my friend's posts. It’s the first day back, and everyone is excited.
Except for me and my son.
For the past two weeks, we’ve both been fighting off a bronchial infection. Complete with the wet, howling cough and mountains of used tissues.
My boy seemed to have caught it over our brief camping trip two weeks ago, which for me, meant the light at the end of the summer tunnel had gone out.
I have been feeling very run down the last three weeks. Summer can be hard having your children home all day every day. I have been struggling to fill the days, keep him happy and fed, active and keep him off screens as much as I can.
All the while trying to work and keep house and now battle my chest cold.
Props to all the parents out there that do this without my overarching burnout.
You see, I have been desperately pushing through these long summer days and weeks, knowing that school will be coming soon and scheduling my exhaustion crash for when it starts. I planned to take a nap. Maybe watch a few non-animated movies. Maybe take a shower that was uninhibited by something crashing in the kitchen.
At the very least, not having nonstop talking beside me for the six hours a day that he was in school.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my son more than anything, as you’ll have seen in my previous columns. But he, like other kids, has some serious difficulty settings. And this summer has brought some pretty big new projects into my life.
I have been just dying to have some alone time. Time to let the dust settle and rejuvenate myself.
But here I am, 7 a.m. on the first day of school, watching my son put on a magic show.
It is so early, and I’m so tired, and my scheduled rest days have been postponed.
I am, however, very excited about this new school year. My boy is starting Grade 2! He is a way above average reader, and he absolutely loves science. He is excited to see his old friend join his classroom this year and of course, to play on the playground at recess.
We have had a very full summer; seeing friends from long ago, our first-time camping in six years, science camp, day camps, a music festival, a family vacation where we went to the zoo and the fair and the museum.
So no, I am not upset at having these couple extra days at home with my favourite little chatterbox. We are going to relish the time together, being lazy on the couch, taking in one last beach picnic and going for rides around our neighbourhood.
Next week, I am going to finally have my desperately craved quiet time.
And we, too, will be making a first day of school Facebook post.
