"See you next summer, kiddos!" Image: Thinkstock
The Back to School season is just around the corner, and for many, it has already begun. For moms, this time of year tends to bring on a huge mix of emotions, whether you are sending older kiddos back again or sending little ones for their first day ever.
Here are the 5 phases I've seen — and felt — again and again.
1. Denial
This is what happens about mid-summer, when you are in that mode where you are enjoying sleeping in a little longer in the morning (hello, no rushing to the bus stop!) and you still have a whole slew of activities lined up with your little ones to look forward to. Life is good.
Then, you get that dreaded school-supply list in the mail, brush it into your kitchen junk drawer, and think, Ahhh, there’s still plenty of summer left to enjoy before I have to really think about this.
2. Anger
The next week, you run into Target for your weekly trip, kids in tow, and all you can see everywhere is Back to School signs.
Wtf?! you think to yourself. This is all just too much. After all, we just finished paying off our vacation and the school clothes we bought last year on the credit cards. There is absolutely no way that we are getting ready to head back to school yet.
3. Survival Mode
Your weekly trip to Target quickly shifts, the next week, into a realization that all the school supplies are already getting picked over and maybe… just maybe... you should take that supply list out of wherever you last shoved it and bring it here to pick up all those super-specific things that this year’s teachers need to have from your kids on the first day.
So you quickly make a beeline for home, grab the list, and scoop up as many of those necessary items as are left on the shelves, silently praying that Staples isn’t out, too.
Then you make a detour to the kids' clothing section and pick out a few fall items for your kids — you know, the necessities to get them through the first few weeks. Backpacks and lunch boxes are next, and you start to feel like Supermom again.
4. Letting Go
You quickly realize that there is absolutely nothing that you can do about how fast summer vacation has flown by, and just embrace the little bit of time left with your kids home every day. You plan a few last activities and trips to the pool, park, and museum, and completely allow yourself to let go.
After all, you totally rocked summer.
5. Party time!
The night before the first day back to school is finally here, and you couldn’t be more excited! All of this mom-ing has you completely overwhelmed and you are beyond ready for a break and a morning drinking coffee to yourself.
See you next summer, kiddos!
