Back to School Euphoria

Celebrate with me.

My oldest shepherding the twins to their classrooms with “follow me little ducklings”

A few weeks ago, I ran into an acquaintance and asked how her summer was going. “Well, it’s basically just the same as the school year, except hotter and with less childcare,” she replied. I have never related more to a small-talk answer. But this week, dear readers, the summer is officially over for my family! And it’s also the beginning of a huge milestone that I’ve been dreaming about for years: all of the children are on the same schedule, going to the same public school directly across the street from our house. 

I can’t really overstate what a dramatic lifestyle improvement this is for our family. I wanted to share this moment with you all because I know you know what a big deal it is. I feel like we're closing the chapter on some of the hardest and most expensive years of parenting. Even the Surgeon General is now saying parenting stress is hazardous to our health!

We’ve come a long way in the four years since this photo was taken…

Things I’m most excited about:

1. School starts early at 7:45 am (but we can drop off as early as 7:15.) All the kids are early risers and I’m most productive in the mornings, so I’m thrilled to consistently get multiple extra hours during my favorite work time.

2. All three kids got into the aftercare lottery.

3. The twins’ Pre-K isn’t free, it's a sliding scale, but for the first time ever we got a meaningful twin discount: 50% off the tuition for the second child.

4. Same teacher workdays, breaks, and holidays for all three kids.

5. Did I mention it’s across the street so it takes two minutes to get to the front door and there’s no driving needed?

6. I’m going to have more time to work out.

While obviously, these are serious life improvements, there are a few things that are weighing on me about this transition. We’re putting the twins in separate classes which is going to be a huge change for them, as they usually spend 24/7 together, and they are not used to 8ish hour days away from home. So I'm expecting some rockiness for the next few weeks, but very little can dampen my joy at the moment! 

I do feel a little weepy about the passage of time, and befuddled about my new pockets of freedom. But I also really feel damn proud of myself for making it through everything it’s taken to get these pandemic twins to this moment. I’m proud of my parenting and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to do professionally amid years of various forms of chaos.

Thanks for cheering me on, Double Shifters. I so appreciate you being here with me on this journey. How’s back-to-school season shaping up for you all?