A mom divided

This summer my husband and I decided to keep the kids at home instead of me teaching summer school and having the kids in daycare. In the past, our oldest needed the structure that it provided, and our youngest needed the socialization. But over the past two years our family has struggled with my husband's leukemia. He was diagnosed in May of 2006 and then relapsed in October 2007. After a successful transplant in January, he's been doing great. Our finances, however, have not. After figuring up the money side, we discovered that what I would make teaching summer school would pay for daycare and that's it. So we decided to keep the kids home instead.

I have to say it has gone quite well. Our son has found many boys in the neighborhood that he could play with. There have been several days when he goes out with the boys and doesn't come home until dinner. However, our daughter does not have any little girls in the neighborhood to play with. So she and I have been spending a lot of time together, which is fine. It's when the two children get together that is becoming a problem.

Whenever the kids are together (in the evenings, at meals, or on outings) they constantly pick on each other. As of late, I have found myself uttering that phrase that I have usually heard other mothers say, "I can't wait until school starts again." Which is true. I can't wait for school to start again.

Of course I usually preface that statement with, "As a mother, ... but as a teacher I'm thinking, "Man that means I only have one more week!" You see, I teach sixth grade math. I'm actually okay with school starting. They're starting later this year, August 25th which means less days of over 100 degree days and ozone action days. Which then translates in the ability to take the students out, even if it's only for 5-10 minutes. Those few minutes make a huge difference.

So with summer waning and school just around the corner, I'm a mother divided. I can't wait for my own children to be back in school, but that means summer vacation is over.