Seems like through all of bloggerland everyone is going back to school.  The blogs and pictures of the first day. The talk of lunches and carpool and school shopping has me more then a little jealous.  For the current school Ashley is zoned for the first day isn’t until October 1. Let me say that again since I’m SURE you’re thinking it’s a typo.  It’s not. OCTOBER FIRST!

It’s a new school and won’t quite be ready until October.  I don’t know if they gave any consideration for moms when they decided that would be a good idea. Because really?  Most moms are pretty much done for the summer by the time August rolls around.

I don’t know about you- but every year at the end of school I have lofty expectations.  Field trips we’re going to take to the zoo, the science museum, the weekly trips to story time at the library, quality park time.  I also have loads of workbook pages and science experiments and reading lists and spelling lists.  Don’t even get me started on the chore charts and the camping and the vacations.
Every summer I start out gung ho to be a ‘Good Mom’.  By the end of June I’ve made several attempts to be a Good Mom and by July I’ve convinced myself that I really need to get started soon and by August I’m just run down and worn out and ready for school to start so that the bickering stops.

It seems that I get so wrapped up in all that we’re going to do that I forget about the other stuff.  You know- like laundry and dishes and general pickup and the 100 Year Flu. Don’t get me wrong, we did fun stuff this summer. We did go to the library once, and the park several times- just not in any orderly fashion.  We never did make it to the zoo or the science museum, but that’s largely due to financial constraints rather then time constraints. We did go camping once also- but it was a large event planned by someone else and all I had to do was get us there.
I did make Ashley do worksheets a couple of times- but not nearly the daily work I was going to have her do. But it seems that lately the tv is on nearly constantly and it’s nearly noon before  I make everyone get dressed and I shower myself- mostly because Steve comes home for lunch on a daily basis and I don’t want him to think that he’s off working hard while we’re lounging around on a daily basis.

I keep telling myself it’s because we’ve been sick and it’s just easier to keep everyone inside then to let two kids go out and listen to the whining while the others have to stay in- plus I’m doing the neighbors with the 4 week old baby a favor by not letting my supposedly healthy (but most likely carrier monkey) child play with their child and chance giving this curse to them.  Right?
You’d think with all the time in the house that I’d be able to get something done. I’ve got a stack of sewing projects, a stack of cards to make, bread to bake,  dirty bathrooms and a mountain of laundry that if it falls over could smother a child. That’s just the beginning of the list. But anything crafty in this small space = disaster.  If I get out a sewing project the only place to do it is the kitchen table.
But it’s August.  The end of August.  School starting is supposed to swoop in and rescue us from our non scheduled days and our  sleeping in which leads to getting nothing done because by the time we’ve wanted to start it’s time for naps or dinner or bed.  School starting is supposed to signal when we get up at 7 and have breakfast done by 7:20 and everyone up and dressed by 8 and exercise is done by 9.  Instead we have another month of staying up late watching movies and carefree unscheduled days with nothing that has to be done so nothing gets done.

I don’t know whether to be sad or happy.  I vary between the two. Guess I should just embrace it as being what it is and go with it? Or maybe, just maybe we can fit in a trip or two to the library, a camping trip, a trip to Vegas (well- that’s already scheduled- I’m SO excited!!), work on spelling words and math flash cards and I can finish my picnic blanket and the twirly skirts I’m supposed to make my girls and the nightgowns I promised them…

Do you do this too?  Am I the only Bad Mother?  Should I just lower my expectations??