When will the nightmare end?
Anyone who doubts the nightmare these last few weeks of school are for parents need only to consult their last nightmare of the nocturnal variety.
I think it is a definite sign of something significant that at my advanced age and corresponding number of years out of school, that I’m still having dreams of forgetting to show up for a final exam or having to repeat middle school because I’ve missed some rogue pre-requisite null and voiding every life experience thereafter.
I think these nightmares intensify during these waning weeks of our children’s school because we as parents are more or less responsible for making sure our kids don’t live out these horrific scenarios in real life. This particular stress factor must be so ingrained in our subconscious that it doesn’t manifest itself until we’re the ones doing the actual scheduling, procuring of supplies, and signing of the report cards.
Depending on the age of your student, there are last-minute projects and book reports. There are final exams. There are banquets, plays, dances and meetings. With this flurry of academic (and not) activity, something is bound to get lost in the shuffle.
I’ve already misplaced the outline to the final book report due. I’ve been shopping at 10 p.m. on a Sunday for a tri-board for the last social studies project. I’ve turned in a permission slip to a field trip that was already cancelled from the Swine flu pandemic that panned.
And there is still another three weeks to go.
At this rate, by that last Monday I won’t be surprised if they really do show up to class in just their underwear simply because I’ve forgotten to do laundry.
It makes me wonder who is really dreaming (or trying to anyway) of summer vacation more -- them or me?
Either way, please someone wake me when it’s over …
Tracey Henry, Suburban Diva
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Sharon Kennedy Wynne has sunscreen in her blood. She may have been born in Buffalo but she got here as fast as she could, in time for kindergarten. She grew up in St. Petersburg, graduated from the University of Florida journalism school, and even got married at Sunken Gardens. She's one of the few adults we know who actually loves taking her kids to the beach. She has two sons and with 10 years of parenting under her belt, she's starting to feel a little less out of her league. She comes from a large family and loves to debate, so brace yourself when the hot topics come up.
Amy Hollyfield is a workaholic mother of two young
daughters, blessed to have a work-at-home husband who makes their life possible. She was born in Detroit and moved around a lot as a kid (read: Air Force brat). She has lived in Florida since the month after she
graduated from Northwestern University. She lives for the yelps, hugs and kisses that greet her on nights that she makes it home before bedtime.
Sherry Robinson was born in the Sunshine State but she feels more comfortable inside a mall than outside at the beach -- thank goodness her husband is the outdoorsy type. He takes their two sons on night hikes, beach runs and bug hunts while Sherry does her best to take care of the homestead -- and find out what is new on the store shelves. A graduate of the University of South Florida in 19noneofyourbusiness, Sherry has been at the Times for nearly 20 years. And with nearly 10 years of parenting experience, Sherry is eager to offer up some great dish on raising kids and keeping your sanity.
Guest blogger Tracey Henry, a.k.a. Suburban Diva, is a frantic, slightly frazzled mother of four. She is a freelance humor writer and author which is the only thing that parenting four children ages 12-1 trains you for, except perhaps court jester and professional bull rider. She and her husband have lived all over the country, but settled in Florida eight years ago because the beachcombing is so much better here than on the banks of the Mississippi. Their family time includes a lot of sport -- both watching and playing -- and fun in the sun and surf. Catch her in Whoa, Momma! and on her site,
Sherri Day and her husband welcomed their daughter into the world in early 2008. So far, she describes parenthood as exciting, exhausting and exhilarating. A self-described Southern belle with small-town values and big-city idealism, Sherri was born in rural Georgia. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from Clark Atlanta University and her master's of journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. She is the Brandon bureau chief for the Times. Sherri moved to Tampa from Brooklyn four years ago.
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