Recently, I saw a really funny commercial showing a man leaping with joy as he pulled something down an aisle.  It was revealed to be a couch, with his two sullen kids sitting on it, and the background music was the famous Christmas song which extols, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”  It was a back-to-school ad and that dad was jumping for joy.  It was very clever, so kudos to Staples.  Yes, the kids are going back to school. We parents get our lives back–especially our evenings.

The job of parent revolves around the school calendar.  Our chauffeuring responsibilities are different during the school year than during vacation times.  One of the big differences, from my perspective, is the bedtimes for the boys.  On “school nights” they have a curfew that gives us some quiet at night.  However, during summer, the boys are allowed more freedom and Will, my almost-16-year-old, loves to stay up late and sleep late.  At least I get quiet time in the summer mornings.  It’s said that the more they sleep, in the summer, the more they’re growing.  Will is 6 feet, 2 inches already!