A bitter sweet end to the school year

The school year is done for my girls. I have been dealing with the end of school excitement and anxiety for 9 years now, but this year was different. Before I get into why this year was different, I will answer the question you might be asking...Why the end of school brings anxiety? Well, summer is a long time in a kids life, its 8 weeks of 'mommy, what are we doing today?' and 'mommy, I'm bored' (and that is usually by 9am!) and of course there are the 'mommy can I's', the 'but mommy's' and the 'mommy I want's'. While 8 weeks to a grown up usually flies by, and while summer always seems to short, the above can drive you nuts making it feel like years, not weeks.

So while the end of school bring much excitement to the kids, it brings on some anxiety to a lot of moms. Don't get me wrong, I love having the "extra" time (and I use that term lightly!) to spend with the kids, the day trips, the time at the cottage, the beach, the zoo, the park, picnics, play dates, water parks, BBQ's, farms, fairs etc. etc... you get the picture right?

So now back to why this years end of school was bitter sweet and brought on some new anxieties. My sweet almost-4-year old just finished her first year of nursery school and will be going into JK in September. She is growing up! The year flew by and now she will be heading into the beginning of her elementary school years. Just as my oldest is heading into the end of hers. She started the year not knowing how to print and can now proudly spell her name and recognize some words!

My oldest will be 13 this summer a frightening realization in itself, because really, how could I have a teenager??? And she will be heading into grade 8. Her last year in elementary school before venturing into the world of high school. This is what brings me new anxiety, a teenager, last year before high school, my pre-schooler starting "real" school... my girls are growing way to fast!!! (hence my tendency to baby my sweet little boy, he won't grow up too fast will he? Denial is my middle name)

So the summer has officially begun! My little angel got her diploma for completing nursery school and my big girl got a solid straight A report card.

I am excited for what is yet to come with my kiddies and anxious for the long days of "mommy...."

As my mom always tells me, take it one day at a time, what doesn't get done today will get done tomorrow...maybe I should take her advice and just relax and enjoy summer with the kiddies!

Let the summer begin!!!!!!!!!