School starts today!!!

[hollysmom]

It was such a pleasure to kick Holly out of the house and off to 1st grade this morning. I used to think that they didn't have enough time off --- not anymore. Summer was long enough with 2 kids and an absentee husband - Scott's been in Europe and Central Asia for the last 2 weeks.

She is very excited to be in First Grade and out of Kindergarten - getting to do math, read Accelerated Reader books, all kinds of fun stuff - but she hasn't realized what having homework every day is going to do to her social life...

SSM

[Kathy B]

We don't start until next Monday (8/23). Since we just got home from vacation last week, I have to spend this week shopping for school supplies, getting sports physicals and Dr. appointments done, and going to "meet the teacher" nights. The kids couldn't wait for summer, but now they are getting excited about school starting. We'll see how long THAT lasts! :p

[Beth Y]

Here in NC, we have been in for a week, believe it or not. I don't know who was more ready for her to go to first grade, me or her. Of course, I still have 2 here at home with me. They don't start til Sept. 2.

[SueK]

Originally posted by hollysmom
Summer was long enough with 2 kids and an absentee husband -

I hear ya - I've been in the same boat this summer.

We don't start for 3 more weeks, though! :eek:

[sneezles]

My "baby" started this morning, as well! He only has half days, today and tomorrow though. He's a senior so he's actually glad to go back...light at the end of the tunnel, ya know!:p

[HARRYET]

Yup, my kids started today! Yea!!
My DS is a jr. in h.s., and DD is a freshman! yikes!

Though I personally think it's to hot to start school, I really think they should go to school until the middle of june (normally they're out before memorial day) and start in the middle of september.

oh well, they're happy to see their friends that they didn't get to see this summer.

Ann

[hollysmom]

We didn't start school until after Labor Day when I was a kid and dinosaurs roamed the earth - but not all schools had A/C.

We didn't get all the crazy holidays (spring break) and still got out at the end of May, but that made the summer longer on our moms.

Of course those were the days when children could play unsupervised and ride bicycles to the swimming pool or to a friends without fear of kidnapping - I know there were times when my mom didn't know where we were, but relied on the neighborhood 'network' to let her know if we were causing trouble. Mom knew about stuff we had done before we ever got home.

One of my goals as a parent is to have the same 'network' of neighborhood busybodies to help keep an eye on my kids too.

SSM

[Gecko]

My three youngest went back 07/29. The eldest goes back 08/18. It felt that it was just about the right amount of time to be off. Not long enough to forget everything and just enough to recharge the batteries.

[jmarie]

The 24th. I can't believe how quickly the hours have started going by. Someone asked me...Don't you miss going and buying school supplies.....Oh yeah, I miss that a LOT!;)

Hope everyone has a great year!

[schuh]

Funny how different the school years are. My kids go back the week after Labor Day, and school gets out in late June. We have a week off at Christmas, Easter, and in February (which I'll never understand).

[schuh]

Originally posted by hollysmom
One of my goals as a parent is to have the same 'network' of neighborhood busybodies to help keep an eye on my kids too.


Lotsa luck ... in most neighborhoods (at least around here), the homes are void of busybody parents ... the kids are in day care or at day camp (as mom & dad are both at work).

[jmarie]

Of course those were the days when children could play unsupervised and ride bicycles to the swimming pool or to a friends without fear of kidnapping - I know there were times when my mom didn't know where we were, but relied on the neighborhood 'network' to let her know if we were causing trouble. Mom knew about stuff we had done before we ever got home.

Those were the days, weren't they? We had so much fun out in the neighborhood. As long as we were home by suppertime...Moms and Dads knew we were all in someone's yard playing. My dad would whistle really loud when it was time for us to come home. It was an innocent and carefree time living in a small rural area. Sadly, I fear those days are gone forever.....

Hopefully, you will get that neighborhood network going. It certainly can't hurt.

[boisewinesnob]

Originally posted by schuh
Funny how different the school years are. My kids go back the week after Labor Day, and school gets out in late June. We have a week off at Christmas, Easter, and in February (which I'll never understand).

This sounds just like the school district my boys were in when we lived in Seattle. I HATED that February vacation...what was the point??? :confused: . And have you ever been to Seattle in February :eek: . Blah.

Here in Boise we start Aug 23rd and get out June 1st.

Ann, I have boys who will be in 11th and 9th grades, too! :D

[Canice]

You're so cool, SSM! What a great mom! :)

A friend of mine has an 11 year old son, and she's been killing herself looking for ways to boost his self-esteem. Surprisingly (to her) he really got a lift when he was allowed to ride his bike to the grocery store and buy his grandma her special brand of milk. His mom said he seemed to get more out of that one independent exercise than any of the classes/programs he'd been part of. Crikey, I was riding down to buy milk when I was 6 ...it's so hard for me to think of purchasing a carton milk as a big accomplishment for an 11 year old! :(:(

[jlo_of_hotlanta]

Originally posted by hollysmom

One of my goals as a parent is to have the same 'network' of neighborhood busybodies to help keep an eye on my kids too.

SSM

My mom is definitly one of those networking moms - always knows everyone in the neighborhood and community - I couldn't go anywhere growing up without knowing someone!

I'll never forget my first year of driving ... I never, ever broke any of my parents "rules" for fear of the "mommy police." The only time I even prodded those rules for signs of weakness was in thesecarpool lane during high school. I was driving myself and my brother to school, and some crazy dad thought he could drive up the turn lane and butt into the line. Of course I wouldn't let him, out of spite, so he just inched closer and closer to the car until he literally couldn't get closer without hitting me. But I kept on drivin.

And what do you know? When I got home, guess who knew exactly what happened during that incident? Yup, my mom. I begged and pleaded with her to let me in on who the "rat" was, but she wouldn't. And so, for the rest of my high school days I lived with the "fear", or perhaps understanding, that my actions would inevitably get back to my mom or reflect on the character of my family rather than just myself.

Although I hated it at the time, I think the network was perhaps the best thing my parents could have done to prevent my acting in ways they would deem innappropriate. I knew that I could do what I wanted, but the network made me really contemplate my actions, rather than acting on impulse.

Ashley

[hollysmom]

My cul-de-sac of 7 houses has 4 SAHM. Its a start. We all meet the school bus at the corner in the afternoon and chat.

My mom and dad set geographic boundaries for us when we first got our licenses. I just knew that if the CAR was seen outside of those boundaries - they would hear about it. SO I would park the car IN West University (where it had to stay) and WALK across Kirby Drive to the Shopping Center where we all hung out (Rice Village).

This lasted about a month or two until they had real confidence in our common sense and driving abilities.

SSM

[Beth]

Originally posted by hollysmom
but she hasn't realized what having homework every day is going to do to her social life...

SSM

For first grade its 20-30 minutes, and not necessarily every day. I think she'll be able to handle it. ;)

My third and sixth graders are going to have to do some routine shifting too. May not be pretty for a while. :D

[Gail]

I'm glad to say that school does not start yet here. I'll take my summer as it comes, thank you. Kid at home means sleeping in for me and I treasure that extra hour or so in the morning (since I'm a night owl most of the time.)

Re the February vacation, I'm wondering if that's a throwback to times when the school year was split in two, starting all over with new teachers and classes in February?

[tbb113]

School starts here in Aug 31st. My thought on the February vacation was 'Ski Week'. I know it used to be popular here in Northern California, but they stopped it awhile ago. Instead my kids get of the whole week of Thanksgiving. I HATE November...between conference week (1/2 days), Veterans Day, teacher work day and Thanksgiving week, my kids are out of school as much as they are in it :rolleyes: At least at HS they don't get conference week (only two more years of conference week).

[schuh]

Originally posted by Gail
Re the February vacation, I'm wondering if that's a throwback to times when the school year was split in two, starting all over with new teachers and classes in February?

I was told the February break originated during the energy crisis during the Carter administration ... he asked the schools to shut down for a week??? I don't know if that's true, but I think it's the dumbest thing ever.

I never heard about a school year being split in two. Didn't happen during my childhood, at least.

[tbb113]

Originally posted by hollysmom
Of course those were the days when children could play unsupervised and ride bicycles to the swimming pool or to a friends without fear of kidnapping - I know there were times when my mom didn't know where we were, but relied on the neighborhood 'network' to let her know if we were causing trouble. Mom knew about stuff we had done before we ever got home.

One of my goals as a parent is to have the same 'network' of neighborhood busybodies to help keep an eye on my kids too.

SSM

You may want to check with your local police force regarding the safety of your neighborhood. Living in the Bay Area, we do have more of our fair share (population based) stranger abductions. However, according to the local police, its peoples fear because of the sensational news reporting that has caused people to limit their childrens activities and monitior their activities.

I have tried very hard to allow my sons the same freedoms I had as a child but its hard when the other kids can't leave their yards without an adult.

I realize that horrible things do happen to children and I'm not saying we shouldn't be aware of them. But children need to learn how to cope in the real world and riding a bike or walking to the store is part of the real world.

[Gail]

Originally posted by schuh


I was told the February break originated during the energy crisis during the Carter administration ... he asked the schools to shut down for a week??? I don't know if that's true, but I think it's the dumbest thing ever.

I never heard about a school year being split in two. Didn't happen during my childhood, at least.

When I was a kid, Kindergarten was optional and very few kids went to nursery school (preschool.) The school year here in the L.A. area began the first Monday after Labor Day and let out on a Friday around June 20. Depending upon your month of birth, you either started school in September or in February. Graduation was either in February or June.

When I began the first grade in September, I began Grade B1, which for me ran from September through February. We then were promoted to A1 (don't ask why it was backward; I have no idea) which was a different class, different teacher, different kids and went from February through June. There may have been a week in between terms; I don't remember.

As for the Carter thing, never heard any such thing. Of course, I was already out of school by then...

[schuh]

Gail, I've never heard of anything like what you did as a kid! I grew up in the Midwest. I never had February break there, either. I heard the Carter thing from a person who grew up here. It's funny how different things are from state to state.

[badunnin]

School starts in my district August 24 with a half-day. A few years ago a stink was made about schools starting before the Labour Day holiday, because of the lost revenue in the travel industry. Now schools can start before the holiday, but need to give a 4 day weekend for it. We have a break in February of a 4 day weekend (some schools do F-M, some do Th-F), and a few districts still have a week off in February. I like the 4 day weekend, especially if Easter is late, as it was this year. Next year won't be as important, as Easter is so early.

editing to add: oops, the district changed. We do have a full week in February. I just put it all into my calendar - what a mess of a schedule! But I'm still out by June 10!

[funnybone]

My kids go back on the 25th. I am so ready for them to start and I know they are too even though they won't admit it. ;) :D