And now we return to our regularly scheduled programming.

It's back to school time. 

I am so underexcited about homework, and projects, and test studying, and packing snacks, and yucky school lunc.... wait. that's not my line!  Those lines go to the kids.

But, I am underexcited about having to oversee all of this. It's back to ironing uniforms, and monitoring homework, making sure everyone has their supplies and making sure the kids get three square meals a day, because if they don't eat a good breakfast, they will surely suffer misreably. (My only question is - do Keebler
Chocolate Chip cookies count as a good breakfast?)  I get to do all that, all while working a full time job, amongst other important things. It's a challenge, not because it's hard stuff,  but because it's on someone else's schedule.

Don't get me wrong.  I am excited about is routine. I do actually like routine, knowing what to expect and when to expect it. I am not afraid to alter the routine when needed (which seems to be often), but at least I know I am interrupting.  What I don't like is the schools lack of respect for my routine.

Fact:  I know my kids have busy afternoons on Monday's and Tuesdays.  They have extra curricular activities that in my opinion, are very, very close to being just as important as their school work.  This is my parent prerogative, and the school cannot take that away.  The problem is that teachers tend to hand out their "goal sheets", generally with a boat load of assignments on them, on Mondays.  It seems that there is generally lots of stuff due on Tuesday's and Wednesday's. Right when my kids have the least amount of time.

Now, why can't teachers pass out assignments for the following week on Fridays?  For us, the weekends could  be used to get a little ahead, to compensate for lack of time during the week.   There is nothing wrong with working ahead, especially when its things like looking up definitions, or copying spelling words 3 times, or copying a Bible verse. If the assignment is math, with a new concept that won't be covered until Monday, that is a different story.  

Anyway, I get frustrated with the fact that the systems don't teach time management.  Management of the students time, not the teachers.

Also, I teach my kids to use found time.  For years, they've done homework (and even practice band instruments) in the car.  Last year, BigB and I spent an average of about 25 minutes every school day traveling to school.  Sometimes she played clarinet, sometimes she studied, sometimes we talked, and sometimes she slept.  Whatever she did, it was good use of time.  She did not sit day dreaming watching the scenery go by. MightyMO took Mojo to school daily, and she did sort of the same thing, just on a smaller scale.  This school year, MightyMO's new job is throwing a kink in that.  The plan right now is to put BigB on the bus everyday at 6:15.  I still have to drive her to the bus stop, but it's closer -- probably not enough time to practice anything.  And I doubt she'll be allowed to practice clarinet on the bus.  Hopefully, she'll still use the time for homework. 

So, I guess you could say we are returning to the regularly scheduled programming.. It's the same show, but its the season premier.  We know the characters, and the theme, but we are also in the dark, and don't know how the story will unfold.  Heck, we're not even sure how it will begin.    

Stay tuned.  We'll be back right after this....