Summer’s end is clearly in sight. We have been living it up during the last week over here with a fantastic trip to see the grandparents and extended family, complete with a day at the zoo, so many root beer floats, and playtime with cousins. Summer always flies by, but at least this year, we feel like we got as much out of it as is humanly possible. But, inevitably, fall looms ahead.

I’ve seen so much on the internet this summer about how moms feel about their kids going back to school. This blog post, in particular, had me doubled over laughing as I related to many of the author’s sentiments. Then there’s this mom, who brings her own music and dances a good bye to her kiddos every year on the first day of school:

Others have talked about how sad it makes them to hear about the moms who want their kids back in school. I’ve seen so many comments from parents who are horrified to hear that others look forward to the season of fun, vacations, and togetherness ending. Cherish every minute, and all that jazz.

I’m here in the middle. Of course I love my children. I love spending time with them, and all school year, I look forward to having more free time to go on adventures together. They are at really great ages right now, and I feel like our time together is valuable and fantastic.

But.

I am thankful that they are secure enough to be looking forward to school.

I am happy that there’s a magical bus that will show up at my house, educate my children for free for 6 hours, then return them each week day. Can we all just take a second to appreciate how awesome this is?

I feel fortunate that they live in a household where summer simply means family fun. For too many children, summer means less structure due to a lack of childcare funds and insufficient nutrition due to a lack of school meals. Back-to-school time is a return to security and normalcy for some.

I think it’s great for my kids to have their own lives, where they will have new experiences they can tell me about with pride because it’s something they did without my hand-holding.

I am thankful that I will once again be able to sneak in a grocery shopping trip alone, where I can think a full thought and actually buy the foods I set out to purchase.

I am glad my boys will have some time apart from one another each day. When it comes to siblings who have spent eight weeks together most of the days, absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

I appreciate greatly that we live in a place where they have access to education. For so many children in the world, access to an education is a life-altering dream. I don’t want myself, or my children, to take for granted the opportunity they have in front of them.

So yes, summer is ending, and our feelings are mixed. It’s possibly been the best summer with the kids we have had so far, but we’re starting a new chapter, a new school year, and a new adventure. Happy back-to-school time, readers!