The Great School Break

Ah, the school break! That magical time when the morning alarms snooze indefinitely, lunchboxes gather dust, and school uniforms take a well-deserved vacation in the back of the closet. As a parent, I've navigated this week-long hiatus with the skill of a seasoned explorer—but one who occasionally slips on a trail of empty fruit snacks packs or kick Body Armour bottles. (If I was lost, this would aid in my survival, right?)

Let's be real, the anticipation of a school break is similar to the build-up before a season finale of let's say Game of Thrones, 9-1-1, or The Gilded Age. You expect relaxation, bonding, and perhaps tackling that ever-growing list of "fun activities" that, let's face it, often turns out to be as mythical as a unicorn sighting. I mean, I try.

The Reality Sets set in
Act 1: The Illusion of Free Time

Day one kicks off with grand plans. We'll visit museums! We'll bike the Beltline! We'll eat at new restaurants! By lunchtime, we've barely managed to change out of pajamas, and our most significant achievement is a collaborative effort to take a field trip to Starbucks. Sidenote: Chai tea latte is heaven!

Act 2: The Tween Energy Conundrum

Here's the thing about having a tween at home, their energy levels are as predictable as a Wi-Fi signal with AT&T as a service provider. One moment, they're lounging like Queen Charlotte or King George, demanding snacks; the next, they're bouncing off the walls, fueled by a sudden, unexplainable burst of 'scientific' energy, called FUNK, derived from the yelling on Discord? I don't know! I just know there's no amount plug-ins powerful enough to outpower that Marvel smell! Anyhoo! Whew!

Act 3: Extracurricular Negotiations

It's extracurricular activities. Or as I like to call it, "How to Persuade Your Child to Do Anything Other Than Screen Time: A Parent's Guide." This week, our activities the "countdown til 12", activity by the dozens I thought, (now serving as a reminder of our ambition over stamina). He did respond "huh?" a dozen times, ate a dozen fruit snacks, and gulped orange juice from the jug in 12 seconds! Mission accomplished not impossible!

The Plot Twist

As the week winds down, a strange phenomenon occurs. Among the chaos, the mess, and the decibel levels of "he's targeting me!", I find myself not ready for it to end. It turns out, the constant company of my tween, with all the negotiations, the sharing of new shows he wants you to watch with him, (Hazbim Hotel? 😲), or even the eye stance, has become something I cherish deeply.

There's a peculiar beauty in the unstructured days, the spontaneous decisions, and yes, even in the heated debates the constant yelling (that someone is targeting "only" him). I've come to realize that these moments are brief, as precious and temporary as the artwork that barely hangs on our fridge.

The Curtain Call: Back to Reality

So, as we prepare for the return to early mornings, packed lunches, and the daily uniform hunt, I do it with a light heart and huge amount of cache in his browser history. School breaks, with all their chaos and unpredictability, have a way of highlighting the joy in the everyday, the humor in parenting, and the unbreakable bond that forms through shared experiences (and mutual survival).

To the return of school, I welcome with a mix of emotions. But fear not, for the ANOTHER break is just around the corner, ready to challenge our patience, fill our hearts, and perhaps, give us a new appreciation for the quiet that follows the storm.

Here's to surviving and thriving through the school breaks, finding humor in the chaos, and embracing the beautifully messy journey of parenthood. May your coffee be strong, your patience long, and your school breaks be just the right mix of adventure, relaxation, and funk (just in case I hadn't mentioned it before).

Mystery, Drama, Comedy

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