The school-start (and end) dates vary from state to state. Many of your children have been out of school since Memorial Day, so they're about halfway done with their summer vacation. 
My kids, on the other hand, have only just begun. And I'm ready for school to begin again.
It didn't help that yesterday's mail brought my new academic-year planner. I can't use it until August, so I'm finding myself wishing July away. Starting fresh in a new planner is a lot like that first-day-of-school feeling. Remember that? You had a new lunchbox, new yellow pencils, and a new box of crayons (if you were lucky and you had a Cool Mom, you had the 64-pack with the built-in sharpener). Maybe you even had a new backpack, a new haircut, and a bunch of new clothes.
I'd be lying if I said I missed getting up at 5:45 AM so I could get showered and dressed before it was time to wake everyone else, get lunches together, and get them all out the door. I don't miss that one bit. Now I get to sleep until about 7:15, or whenever my eight-year-old bottomless pit wakes up and needs help making toast.
But now that they're home from school, my two younger (non-working) children have been spending their time arguing with me about having to do chores, arguing about having to get those chores done before I'll take them somewhere or let them invite a friend over, begging me to let them invite a friend over, asking to go swimming, and wondering when dinner is. They can spend hours doing this.
So it's a tradeoff: early mornings or whining and arguing. 9 more weeks until school starts...
COUPON TIME
15% off your order at OfficeDepot.com 
Enter coupon code 12108710.
Valid through: July 19, 2010
See other Office Depot coupons!
Up to 30% off select Post-it products at Staples.com 
Discounts will appear on item pages.
Valid through: July 10, 2010
See other Staples coupon codes!
