These are the Days

Three more days 'til summer break. I am SO happy for the kids. The anticipation is palpable around here- that excitement of approaching freedom - freedom from the homework, the daily alarm clock, the adherence to the schedule, the after-school activities, the mom yelling "get a move on!"

The days got warm all of a sudden; kind of like 55 degrees to 85 degrees, it's a little jarring. But it's telling of the summer, soon to be here - effectively in 3 days at our house.

I am not going to miss the morning grind, the cold commute to school (4 whole blocks away), the yelling, "get with it, mister! you're late!" the 2:15 deadline for all personal activities so that I can do the commute again, the timing of Evelyn's naps. I won't miss the schedule.

I am so looking forward to the lazy, sleeping late, pajama-wearing, coffee mug-hugging mornings of the next 3 months. But even more, I love the after-dinner, happily fed playtime out in our street. It's a given, the evening rush from the table, "mayIbeexcusedIwanttogobackoutsidetoplayball," that occurs each night after eating. The best is that I can clean up in peace, and go outside into the warm, breezy (non-humid) night to play with the kids.

Catch. Bikes. Tennis. Scooters. Soccer. Roller Skates. Neighbors. Pet Dog. Beer.

There are folks on our street who throughout the beautiful summer nights, will desperately rush their kids to bed at the same time they go to bed during the school year - the dutiful 7:30-8:00 latest. When I asked last year why they don't stay out at night, one Mom said, "there's plenty of time for that later." Later? He can be a kid later? (Maybe when I'm not so tired? Maybe when he's older so I don't have to be out too?) What gives? It is SUM-MER. I can appreciate the need for me-time, but come on. Summer? When there are 15 kids still out playing? I am the complete opposite. The play-til-it's-dark opposite. It matters not that I finally drag my kiddos in when they can't see and are so grimy they still need a bath and 10:00pm is approaching fast. There's nothing to do. There's nowhere to go. What, exactly, is the rush to bedtime? Their little childhoods will fly and they'll barely remember these days full of nothing but play. But it is fun now.

These are the days. Happy Summer.