Pass Me The Bubbly!

Kevin tells me that this is known in the "marketing world" as "Moms' New Year."

Kids are going back to school, and it all starts anew for parents, especially those of us who "stay home." (The stay-at-home moniker cracks me up. Who 'stays home?' Moms and Dads everywhere are out running here and there or, on a good day, playing in a park or a pool with the kids.)

So, happy new year, parents of school-age children! Pass me the bubbly water. I'll pass on the real bubbly until we get through this transition. I need all my faculties to survive this week and the next few.

For as wonderful as it is to label all those folders and pencils, the move from the free-for-all summertime to our keep-on-schedule school year is as tough on me as it is the kids.

I am thrilled, of course, that my oldest, a third grader, is riding his bike to and from school and that my middle (three-year-old) is relatively happy to go to preschool a few hours a week (is it too late to sign up for a few more hours?). There is a bit more calm in the house for the baby & me. We even got in an hour of much-needed shopping this week.

My productivity, so pathetically low all summer long (inversely, my fun-o-meter was as high as it's been in years), has not yet improved. I suppose I should cut myself a break, it's only been a couple of days. But I'm staring at piles of 'to do' lists, not just piles of things to do, but piles of actual 'to do' lists: roofing quotes, Sunday School planning, closet cleaning, house cleaning in general, filing, picture framing, budgeting, billing for my "paid work" completed over the summer (surprisingly a few projects did get done) ... I have to stop, I'm just stressing myself out now.

And the kids of course have their own stresses. Will school be hard this year? Will I have any friends in class? Will my teacher be nice? Will I be able to tie my shoes? Will Mom remember that I'm coming home for lunch and be there waiting for me?

I guess this is a lesson for my kids and for me ... take a deep breath, focus on one thing at a time, one day at a time, and try to enjoy the moments. Because I'm seeing a number of friends drive their children to college this month, and I know that day is just around the corner. And as much as I find this stage of parenting stressful, I'm so not ready to let my babies go.

So, forget what I said about the bubbly water. Pop open a bottle of the good stuff. These are special times!

Cheers!