That thundering sound you hear? That low roar of cheering? That is the sound of thousands of parents all across France as they leap and dance and cheer... because today, their little darlings go BACK TO SCHOOL!
When I used to work in the corporate world with a lot of people who had school-age children, I used to wonder why they looked so happy and excited at the beginning of September, and every year they'd smile knowingly at each other and say: "The kids are in school again". And I used think, "Yeah, so?"
And now I know a bit better what they're referring to. Because no matter how much you love your children or step-children, no matter how great they are, having them around you 24x7 during the summer and having to arrange constant entertainment for them can be a challenge. Summer camps. Trips to the beach. Play dates with friends. Cross-country car trips. Packing them up to send them off to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a few weeks. It takes time. It takes energy. It takes creativity. And it's exhausting. Whether you're the one spending time with them or you're sending them to spend time with someone else, it's a constant balancing act. And don't forget, you've probably got a job of your own to worry about while you're worrying about if your children are safe and having a good time.
School makes things seem "normal" again. School provides the routine around which the family can revolve. School gives you peace of mind for those hours each day when you know exactly where your child is and you know that s/he is safe and under qualified supervision. And during those hours, you don't have to listen to:
"MOM! He touched me!"
"MOM! She took my favorite doll!"
"MOM! We don't have anything fun to do!"
"I don't want to go the beach today. It's BOR-ing!"
"I don't want to go out for ice cream. It's BOR-ing!"
"I don't want to go to the movies. It's BOR-ing!"
"How come this house/hotel/campground doesn't have Internet access?"
And so on. The younger the kids in question, the more help they need in keeping busy and entertained, and the more work for their parents.
Then there are the teenagers. There, you have the opposite problem. They can (at least here in the city) get around under their own steam. They can arrange their own social activities. So they're out with God knows who doing God knows what, and all attempts to inquire into their whereabouts will meet with very brief and terse responses while they stare at you like you have three heads and some damn nerve for asking. And the rest of the time, all they do is sleep, eat junk food, and hang out in front of the TV or the computer, or sitting slumped on the sofa sending a constant stream of text messages to invisible friends you may never meet. Whose parents are at their houses watching their kids doing the exact same thing, and wondering who the hell they could possibly be texting to all day long like that. Because what did kids do to communicate before the cell phone was invented? Geez, back in OUR day, they'd have had to pick up a phone, and not even a TOUCHTONE phone... one of those old models with the dials. And NO VOICE MAIL! And NO INTERNET! Yeah, THOSE were the good old days. These kids today, they don't know how lucky they are. Now, where did I leave my Blackberry?
Sigh. Such is the world of the bemused and confused parent of teenagers when school is out (or in, for that matter). You are just a fixture in their lives, the one they depend on for rides to meet their friends at the mall, or for money, or to stock the refrigerator.
When they go back to school, at least you've got SOME idea of where they are and what they're doing. And if worse comes to worse, the school principal will be thoughtful enough to call you (on that Blackberry of yours) to tell you EXACTLY what they've been up to... and why they won't be allowed to do it again, and how many days they'll have to spend at home thinking about the error of their ways. Thus requiring you to arrange some sort of supervised activity until you can beg the school to take them back they're allowed to go back to school again.
In our house today, we just had one small child to get ready for the rentrée, and I think we were both dreading it a little bit. He tends to be a slow waker-upper on school days, although on weekends we can often find him parked in front of the TV at the crack of 7am. So we were expecting a bit of a fight. Imagine our proud surprise when Georges went up to open his son's bedroom door at 7:25 and start the gentle wake-up process... and discovered his Little Guy already awake, out of bed, and trying on some of his new school clothes, deciding what he wanted to wear! That was a FIRST for him, getting up and dressed immediately without being asked. It may not last and one day does not a routine make, but it's a sign he's growing up and accepting his responsibilities. And that he's excited to go back to school, however neutral he may be acting about it. Which we think is pretty cool stuff.
Soon, I will give a big hug and kiss and a "Bonne chance!", and Georges will walk the Little Guy to school; they'll find out which teacher he has and he'll begin his new school year. Tonight, there will be new stories to listen to and a list of more school supplies to shop for.
And then we, like the other parents around France and the rest of the world, will breath a sigh of relief that school has begun again and brought a bit of order and routine into our sometimes chaotic lives. We may even do a little celebratory "happy dance".
Free at last. Free at last.
