So Long Summer!

There are 10008 more minutes left of summer vacation. On Tuesday, August 30th, my almost 6 year old will go back to school to start his second year in primary school, called Senior Infants here in Ireland, and my 3 1/2 year old will go to pre-school 5 mornings a week. To say that I am looking forward to next Tuesday would be an understatement.  As of then, I will officially be joining the world of mothers with free time – also known as having kids in school.

Look! No Kids!
photo by Andy Newson

Over the last six years, I’ve looked with envy on mothers who have the mornings to themselves. I’ve had either one or two children in my care all the time and I’ve wondered about women with school age children. What are they doing with those few hours every morning? They must be in heaven. Are they getting together and having mother parties and not inviting me? Is champagne served? Do they party on down from nine to eleven am and then sober up enough in time to collect the kids at 1:30?

Well move over, Sally Homemaker, ‘cause I’m about to join the party!

I know moms aren’t really doing drinking in the morning (most of ‘em, anyway), but it will feel like an absolute party to me to have a few hours to myself per day. I’ll clean th windows and oven. And I’ll exercise. I was once driving out of the grocery store with my 3 year old, and I saw one of the mothers from my boy’s school out having a jog with another mom. A jog! As of next week I can go for a jog if I want to - ALONE. I am going to look HOT and my house will be CLEAN within a few short weeks.  I am so psyched.

I look after my boys from about 5:45 am, when the older boy wakes up, until sometimes 9 pm at night, when the little guy is finally wrestled into bed. Hubby does his bit, but still, I’m the go-to gal. I’m their main comfort, the person who knows them intimately, the one who they usually run to when they have a problem. I love them like they are a part of my body, like they are in fact inside me and are my own soul. And I can’t wait to share them with their teacher. Enjoy!