Lessons in Life

Today, I talked to a friend who was bemoaning the end of summer, and the accompanying start of school. She did not relish going back to being the homework enforcer, and to having nights and weekends full of committed time. She found herself wondering why it all had to be so intense.
 
I certainly get it. While I appreciate the time during which my kids get education and stimulation from someone other than me (because it is likely a broader range of education than I could give them), I do wonder sometimes what we are accomplishing by flying out the door to catch buses and holing up at home in the evenings and on weekends to do yet another assignment.
 
And then one of my kids comes to me and asks why she is given more to do than there is really time for, and I realize that what they are learning, along with math and science and history, is how the world works. There is almost always more to do than you have time for. You are almost always forced to partner on a project with someone who wouldn't be your first choice. You are quite often compelled to wait for your co-workers to pull their parts together so you can complete yours. And most days, you are called upon to be the enforcer or the enforced--or both. So, while I am not advocating turning kids into grownups too soon, I am grateful that my kids are learning life skills along with their textbook facts.
 
It will be vacation again before we know it, and we will have at least a short time to be free of schedules and enforcement. It's not that I won't appreciate that-- really, I will. But until then, I'll be helping my kids make those buses and finish those assignments--and being happy that they're learning a little more about life in the world.