Ahh, the first weekend of the school year. You could feel the collective relief in my home, from all four of us. My husband teaches middle school science, and our children are in third and first grades. We were all excited to not be tied to bedtime when making dinner, finishing a conversation, or choosing that after dinner beverage. And then-- pure Heaven-- to sleep on Saturday until we awoke... no alarms, no pressing place to be... yes, weekends are where it's at.
This week was also the first week of school for my nephew. He lives far, far away from us, so our only way to be a part of his life is to use modern technology. We called yesterday, and I asked him how the first week went. "It was pretty good, but we have some days off now. That's a good thing, because I sure could use a break!" It doesn't take long to learn about the wonder that we call The Weekend, does it? Five days of school and he's ready for some time away. Aren't we all, dear child, aren't we all! It takes a lot of energy to get through the mechanics of a school day, never mind the academics! Buses, rules, lunch money, desks and cubbies, pencil sharpeners, bathroom use protocols, new friends and teachers.... and that's in the first 15 minutes! I get overwhelmed by it all, and I've been attending school since 1975.
The weekend allows us all some much needed think time. It's a chance to take a little pause in pushing our brains to the edge, to let the week's information settle in and become a part of us. To think about what went right, and what went wrong, and how to make it all a little bit better in the coming week. It's a chance to be unscheduled for a few days, taking the moment as it comes. To cuddle on the couch as a family, staying up late watching a movie and eating from the communal bowl of popcorn. Yes, a break is a very good thing.
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