Tuesday Ten - Back to School Edition

Kids everywhere are heading back to school.  Some have started already and some, like mine, have a few more days of summer to enjoy.  Lots of parents are ready for the kids to go back.  I am, too, in some ways.  However, on the other hand, I am not sure I want summer to end.  For today's Tuesday Ten . . . . . .

<a href="http://www.the-golden-spoons.com" target="_blank"><img alt="The Golden Spoons" src="http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b552/lspoon1/smallTuesdayTenjpeg_zpsad8292e4.jpg"/></a>

The Pros and Cons of Going Back To School

1. PRO - I will finally get some quiet time.  With the exception of a date night and my one day a week part time job, I haven't really had a break from my kids since early June.  I love them, but, everyone needs a reprieve sometimes, right?  Currently, I can't read or write or finish a complete thought or do much of anything without interruption.  I could really use some quite time!   
2. CON - Mornings.  I am soooo not a morning person. During the summer, the kids sleep late; I sleep late.  It's great.  Once school starts, those alarms clock will once again be sounding bright and early.  We'll all roll out of bed grumpy and delirious.
3. PRO - We'll get back to a routine.  I'm a planner and I like schedules.  Although it includes early mornings, I like to have a plan for the day.  Hopefully, I can get back into a writing routine,  housekeeping routine, and workout routine.  Right now, we are just being lazy and, many days, by the time we are ready to leave the house, the day is already halfway done.
4. CON - That routine I'm talking about?  Well, it tends to get really busy and I tend to get a little stressed.  On top of homework and dinner, we end up rushing from here to there and everywhere.  Bedtimes get juggled and baths get skipped.  I've limited my girls' afterschool activities this year and I'm really hoping that will help!
5. PRO - Friends.  The kids miss theirs and I miss mine.  Once school starts, we will all be reunited!
6. CON -  I will once again become one with my minivan.  During the school year I spend hours in my minivan.  This year, I'll spend even more time there since my oldest starts middle school.  The other two will still be at the elementary school which menas TWO carpool lines every morning and every afternoon, plus all the after school stuff.
7. PRO - I might actually have a clean house for more than thirty seconds.  Right now, if I am cleaning in one room, they are probably in the kitchen dirtying dishes.  When I go to clean up those dishes, they will get out the play dough.  When I am sweeping up the play dough, they will probably be making a snack or getting out some paint.  Seriously, it's impossible.  Once they are in school, I might be able to get the house clean and keep it that way at least until they get home!

8.  CON - Homework.  As a former teacher, I would say homework is a necessary evil.  I know that kids need to practice the skills they are learning in school and that there is just not enough time to get everything done while they are in the classroom.  However, the last thing my kids want to do when they come home is more work.  It ends up being a struggle to get them to do it.  They whine;  get frustrated.  It's just not pretty.

9.  PRO - My kids' brains will stop turning to mush.  At the beginning of summer, I felt guilty when they watched too much TV.  Now, I'm just happy to get through the day with minimal arguing and if that means TV, then so be it!  They have read some books, but overall, we're not exactly being intellectual these days.

10.  CON - Packing Lunches.  My oldest is a vegetarian and the youngest is just a super picky kid.  The middle one is not really too picky, but she is not fond of sandwiches.  Packing lunches for them every day becomes a real hassle and a task that I totally dread.

So, when do your kids go back to school and are you looking forward to it???