September Blues

 I love summer, I do, even the sticky, gross NY humid days where my curly hair even with the new improved product can grow exponentially to the point that it may require it's own zip code. 

Fall is a close second but it is like any other runner up - good but not the best.   I already am thinking of winter get-aways, warm beaches to replace snowy streets and the layers of clothes I will need to start breaking out of the place I stored them for summer.  

September also brings with it the start of school.  I know for some people the idea that they no longer are chauffeur, entertainment director or voice on repeat "get out of the house" "but I don't want to" "get out of the house" is cause for a fight to not grin like Cheshire cat.  We all love our children but over 2 months of any of the above is enough to test the patience of a monk never mind a parent. 

For me school, I do love school supply shopping more than my kids - I am a writer after all so writing "stuff" just makes this girl shiver, is always bittersweet.   I love being able to take kids to pool, yes I do have to convince them they want to go and pry them away from the blue backlight cult of devices, and the beach.  We do like our travels and our beach time.  There is something so much easier about having to just make sure they are dressed than to make sure they are dressed warmly enough.  

Yet I look forward to their starting school, new adventure, new chapter in their lives.  Much more than they do - they already are lamenting the end of a vacation and of course we are on mad dash to complete summer homework that "yes Mom I will get to it ..." but did not in over 6 weeks.   

My bittersweet school start is that each year is a new milestone.  I survived the first year of middle school for each child.  They did too.  It was not the fright fest that many make it, it had it's painful moments of kids who act like jerks - yeah I said jerks and that is nicer than what some of these rather meaner kids deserve - and balancing a more independent approach to school.  

I am now on to ...hear that organ music in the background?...High school for my oldest.  WHAT?!!!!! Facebook keeps popping up these memory pictures, teeth missing smiles, small people with backpacks that were far bigger than they were.  My youngest child is in the Jan Brady grade of middle school - middle year - not the first year kid, not the graduating class one.  The grade that doesn't get the trips, the attention and frankly they let you know it.   

Yet high school... my son is ready, I see it as the countdown to, gulp, college.  I see these lovely pictures of dorm rooms.  Ok I have to pause.  I did not live in dorms, I had my own wee teeny NYC apartments in college, but I was in dorm rooms during that time with people who did live in them at various colleges.  They smelled like socks, they were not nice.  What is up with these nice dorms these days?  You know you are setting up kids for disappointment when they try and rent a place post graduation don't you?  I mean it's like watching "Friends" and thinking you could live in that Monica, Rachel apartment and work part time as a barista... NO it will not happen.  Make them live knowing how to identify if an exterminator comes regularly, the smell is unique, and how to put together Ikea furniture.  

Back to my own kids.. high school.  We have had a lot of discussions over the summer about how even from day one he should prepare for what will be needed for college, not to be obsessive about it but hey any college credits he can get in high school mean one less year of massive tuition for this family.   

We have chatted about how relationships change from middle school dating, it's a thing - it means for the most part you are together during school, maybe occasional pizza or hang out, to real dating.  I have boys so I am responsible for teaching them to understand consent, to respect themselves and their partners.   It is grown up level discussions with a not quite grown up person.  It is talks about how shitty Juul and Vape makers are - not regulated, addictive - same shitty people who brought you cigarettes and then lied for years about their danger.   We talked drugs and alcohol.  We talked because open conversations is all that I can arm them with to help them as they grow. 

So summer is ending, school is starting and I hate pumpkin spice anything.  September blues -- the consolation is I do like a good boot, a nice coat and the pretty fall leaves.  It's time for high school, for half way through middle school and for me to remember that the days can be long but the years fly by.  

Good luck to all of your kiddies, grandkiddies or whoever in your life is off to school. Thanks to teachers - you are rock stars, minus the bazillion dollars sadly.  I am sending mine off with new supplies and a reminder to be kind, generous and never stop losing a sense of wonder  - oh and that summer vacation will be here again, as will days off, vacation days off and our favorite snow days. 

Let the games begin..