Just Say No

Parents, it's time we just said no to the end-of-school year madness. All of you pre-Labor-Day-school-starters sitting on the pool deck in a lounge chair or already on your beach vacation, tuck away that smug grin and remember back to the last few weeks. All of that schedule insanity, was it worth it?

One of the most rewarding things we do at Momentum Resources is help our candidates get jobs that are flexible enough for them to volunteer in the classroom, attend an 11am preschool graduation ceremony or assist with Field Day. But just because you can do that every day, doesn't mean you should.

After a weekend of activities that nearly killed me (and put the whole family in a stressed-out, tense, over-tired mood.....weren't weekends supposed to be restorative?) I put my foot down.

To take control over the last two weeks of school I:

• Told the swim team coach we'd show up in two weeks when lacrosse post-season play was over. One sport at a time has always been a rule in our house, this was no time to break it.
• Called the preschool director to see if my 3 year old's presence at a 7pm Year End Program was really required. It wasn't-- he has a supporting role for Pre-K graduation) Beginning after his bedtime and at a time when his brothers had sports practice, it just wasn't a good idea for us.
• Had the older boys each pick one of the daily year-end "fun activities" (field day, beach reading day, paper airplane contest day) for Mom to attend. Dad had covered the last two cultural days, I was teed up for this one. But that's one, not 5 daily activities. As my dear business partners reminded me, we're going to have a LOT more time together this summer!
• Relax about school projects. Grades are due Friday, my child's end-product on a school project in the next 2 weeks is not going to make or break his chances at admission to Harvard. Try hard, enjoy it, learn something from it.

After all, isn't that what this whole school, learning and parenting thing's about anyway?

PS Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, feel one iota of guilt about these decisions.