Hello! How are you?

We're heading into our fourth day of summertime temperatures here in Portland (that's anything over 70 degrees F!), and I'm shocked by how desperate I am for the school year to end. We're all dragging ourselves toward the last day of school as if it were perched at the summit of Mt. Hood.

Both of my kids go to fantastic schools...it's just that we're all ready to get off the timeclock and to move into the organic pace of summer. Swim lessons, a bit of travel, and Camp Play-With-Kids-On-The-Block.

I remember, when my kids were babies, looking forward to a more structured time when one day didn't meld into another -- everything was a blur of nursing, diaper-changing and rocking. But now I miss that time. I can't believe I've been a parent long enough to get nostalgic for "when they were younger."

And you? How are you, Parenthackers?

Mt. Hood photo by biskuit

Comments

[Ange]

Hello from a fellow PDXer - yeah, it's HOT here on the westside, too.

I'm of mixed mind about school being out... on the one hand, I'm one of those people who likes to get up at 6 am every day and have a game plan. On the other hand, the constant scheduling of activities, homework, more activities, and more homework is starting to drag (and my boys aren't even involved sports - these are school-related activities, except piano lessons). Guess I'm a grass-is-greener girl - I'll be hating it by mid-July!

[Marykz]

Just this morning- really!- my daughter said "I'm bored with this school" Kindergarten is almost over and she can't wait to go to the "big school". She asked how much longer until summer and was dismayed that we have 3 more weeks.....

(secretly, I wish she could stay "almost six" for a few more years!)

[Sirid]

Hello fellow hackers! My little'uns (twins) turned 2 last Friday while I had to be in biz school all day taking a final exam (sniff)... they'll still go to day care every day (since I have a job), but now that I have the summer off from school, at least I don't ALSO have homework... so I am looking forward to getting them out early a couple of times a week and running off to the beach, playground, or simply the sprinkler in the back yard... just the three of us. Sounds like heaven.

[Jill in Atlanta]

We're in the home stretch this week. I've started to worry about the "I'm bored"s, so even though I've got a pretty good summer scheduled with a bit of camp and a bit of travel and ideas for science experiments and games, I want to make a list with my kids of "field trips" they want to take around town and answers to "I'm bored". We'll see how much we can cross off as the summer progresses. Mostly, I'm eager to see pool friends again and just hang out.

[biskuit]

Glad you liked my photo of Mt. Hood! You are lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world.

[Rebecca]

WE are feeling the same way! I am so done with all the projects, book reports, and homework assignments that have left my child with very little free play time. I am done being a Girl Scout leader for the summer and am looking forward to sleeping in and doing nothing! I was commiserating with a friend and she said that she had been chanting the High school Musical song "summer" ever since it started getting hot

[Rebecca]

WE are feeling the same way! I am so done with all the projects, book reports, and homework assignments that have left my child with very little free play time. I am done being a Girl Scout leader for the summer and am looking forward to sleeping in and doing nothing! I was commiserating with a friend and she said that she had been chanting the High school Musical song "summer" ever since it started getting hot

[hedra]

Not nearly close enough to done for me. At the same time, prepping the house for the summer (nanny, my four kids plus a niece) is a big project that has yet to be completed. Sigh.

We're still in the middle of the end-of-school rounds of activities. Band concert, last parent-teacher conferences, end of year parties and picnics, appreciation awards dinner (skipping that!), etc.

B is definitely on board with excitement over going to the NEW school, 1st grade, same school as his big brother, he can't WAIT. :) The eldest is really just winding down, and the twins at the tail end don't have a clue what we're talking about.

[Emily]

As the mother of a 20-month-old, I'm in the throws of all the diaper changes, rocking, etc. and I already miss it. :(

[Judie]

It hit 95 degrees in Idaho. I love it!!

I homeschool 3 of my 4 kids and we are ALL excited for summer vacation! I have my oldest in charter high school and I can't believe he has 3 years left and then he's off to college. Just enjoy each day with your children in whatever phase they are in. Write down and take pictures of those memories. Before I knew it, my son was starting his first job and not able to take vacations with us anymore...Sad but true.

[Carol]

I wish I had read these comments back when they were posted because at the time I was so ready to be done and couldn't stand another minute. Now it's the last day of school and I'm going to celebrate by staying up late since I don't have to get three kids ready and them go teach 6 classes of teenagers. The kids, however, will have me up early. I just won't have to do anything.

Aaahhhh, summer! It'll be over too fast...