Because you know what? That’s actually a pretty clueless thing to say to a full-time working mama with an hour commute. The kids going back to school will be a break? Hmm. Perhaps for my husband, who is part stay-at-home-dad and part grad student. And surely it will be much needed respite for my parents, who are part free childcare and part angel. But for me? Not so much. I leave for work 45 minutes before the kids leave for school and return home four hours after they get home. Their goneness doesn’t impact me in the slightest. But their back-to-schoolness sure does. It means:
- My solo time in the morning to shower and get ready is now shattered by multiple wake-up calls, grumpy-ass kids, frantically remembered assignments/permission slips/show-and-tells/snack days, and a stubborn pooer
- I lose a half hour a night to lunch packing
- I’m repeatedly awash with guilt for missing classroom parties, morning teas, afternoon performances, etc.
- Instead of getting to enjoy the few hours a night I see my kids – whom I actually really like! – I have to spend that time playing the role of enforcer and arguing over homework
Oh, and the literal hundreds of dollars spent on glue sticks and Clorox wipes and my kid’s freakish ability to grow three shoe sizes in one summer. I don't consider that a perk either.