It’s that time of year again when my thoughts turn to the anticipation of a quiet house once again.  I am always ready for school to be out and summer-sleeping-in to begin and twice as ready to put them back in school three months later.  Then the slight pressure of being ready for school and the onslaught of homework, projects, lunches, piles and piles of papers to sign and permission slips, sets in.  In fact I would like to sign a universal permission slip at the beginning of the year that states:

“You may take my child anywhere, anytime for any purpose.  Just  have them back for piano lessons.”

I used to vow to be on top of the back to school rush.  I vow to get to Wal-Mart before the last pack of pencils is gone.  I vow to buy my kids uniforms before there is nothing but a size 5 Husky left.  I vow to make lunches that  are more than just a combo of  crackers and fruit snacks. But alas, I am usually in the store, the Saturday before school starts fighting with the other mom with six kids, for the last Sponge Bob lunch box.

I have learned to set more reasonable goals over the years and realized that the first day of school is not the deadline, but merely the jumping off point.  It’s okay if my kids start school in last years sneakers.  There will still be sneakers in the stores AFTER school starts.  It’s okay if the kids did not get their haircuts before they meet their teachers.  The teachers will eventually find out what they really look like.  It’s okay if they don’t have 12 pencils, 24 crayons, 2 glue sticks and a ruler on day one.  I am pretty sure, that unless the teacher is very ambitious, they won’t all be needed  that day. It’s okay if their uniform  is still stained with last years art project.  It’s okay if they don’t have something in their lunch that resembles anything in the food pyramid.  And it’s okay if they carry that lunch in a brown paper bag because last year’s lunch box was deemed a health code violation. My high schoolers can wear last spring’s fashions in September and no one will call the fashion police.

These thoughts help me relax a little bit when thinking about getting 5 kids ready for the school year (my college sophomore is on her own).  After 19 years  I will have finally have ALL my kids in school full time.  And that thought helps me relax even more.  My days will be my own and the chaos that arrives between 1:30 and 3:30 on Monday thru Friday will be all mine as well.