Fall break is just plain weird

My kids just had fall break last week. And tomorrow they go back to school.

I am so relieved. And not for any of my usual reasons – selfishly wanting quiet, or needing to get work done. I am relieved because fall break just feels WEIRD to me.

I’m from Texas, for those of you who are new to the ‘ol Hippie Spelunker, and we never, ever had fall break. Not during any of my school years, and not since my children have been in school.

So all week long, I felt like I was keeping them out of school – and I kept getting hit by these waves of guilt. Come on, moms – you know what I’m talking about – those days you let your kid stay home and you know you really shouldn’t have. Maybe you wanted them with you, maybe you just gave into their silly whining, whatever. And you caved. But all day long the pangs of guilt gnawed at you.

That is what I felt all week long! And I just could NOT shake it. When it would hit, I would remind myself that they were supposed to be home. And I’d say, “Oh, ok, that’s weird, but, ok….”

And then a little while later – WHOOSH! The pangs came back, the wave rushed back over me – and I’d have to explain it to myself all over again! Goofy, I tell you, just goofy.

So I am relieved that they are going back to school, so that I won’t feel like an unfit mother anymore!

HA!