...they're going BACK!" Have you seen that ad that starts off with Christmas music and then cuts in talking about how the kids are going back to school. Every year it seems like those ads come around again - yeah! the kids are going back to school. How do you feel about that? I'm excited for back to school time, but for totally different reasons.
I haven't seen it....but I hear every other parent saying it no matter where I am. I agree, I'm excited too, but for different reasons.
Not seen it, either, but that's not surprising, since most people watch more network TV in a day than what we do in a month!
I hear it a lot too. It's sad. I am so used to being around my kids, I don't know what it would be like if they all went off to school. The year my son went to kindergarten was so weird... it almost felt akward, and I still had my other two at home! I'm not against ps, but to be HAPPY they are gone is so foreign to me.
I've seen that commercial, it has a dad dancing in the aisle of a office supply store while his two kids watched him. I thought it was sad. I went for lunch at the mall on Tuesday, the day after school started here and the whole place was full of moms out "celebrating" their kids going back to school. :roll:
I kind of understand both sides of that. But I'm one of those more introverted types that truly cherishes time that I have alone. I'm a writer and an artist and the only times I'm able to be fully creative in either art is when I'm in a quiet, distraction-free environment. So there are days when my boys are driving me nuts that I think, yeah, I can relate to parents feeling happy to have reclaimed some downtime for themselves. However, the few months that I had both kids in school and wasn't working, before we started homeschooling, the novelty seemed to wear off fast. I missed them. And then evenings were SO crazy, with tons of homework and discipline issues carried over from the school environment, and practices and trying to get everyone in bed early. Oh and the morning rush...I hated it the most. Not to mention the illnesses they brought home, and how they're just plain happier kids (and more joyous to be around) since we started HS'ing. I think that for me, an ideal balance would be to continue HS'ing but have one day a week that they go somewhere else. There's a HS academy they could go to for a day, but that would mean homework and someone else structuring what we're learning about, and I don't want that. I don't mean for it to sound like I don't enjoy HS'ing or being with my kids...I do! But there is a wee little part of me that understands a parent's joy over having a break from 24/7 childcare. If that makes me an awful mom, then I guess I'm guilty as charged.
I am glad to have kids back to school, because they are home schooled! Well one is anyway, its hard when they grow up and go to college people! My ds starts at College on Monday and wow even though its near by I am really feeling iT!
I'm happy it is back to school for the PS. It means less people out where my kids and I want to be! The lake for fishing or swimming, parks, even shopping! Is that wrong? Hmmmmmm.
That commercial is meant to be funny. I think it's funny, myself. I have changed the words as I tried to sing it to Jeannie, to remind her we start back in 2 weeks! She looks like the kids in the commercial, too. Lol!
The commercial doesn't bother me, what bothers me is those who say it irl. And I mean those who say it with all honesty. I can understand children getting on ones nerves and saying it in an off beat manner, but not truly mean it. When my children went to ps it actually made me sad to see them off every day. Yes, having a break was nice (an hour or 2 every so often), 8 hours 5 days a week makes me frown, though. I guess that's one of the things that separates homeschool parents from ps parents.
I just feel bad for all the kids who have to listen to their parents talk about how much they can't wait to get rid of them. Can't be good for their self-esteem, kwim?
I know the commercial too. The poor kids are watching their father dance in the isle because they're going back to school. I know the commercial is meant to be funny, but there sure are parents that act like this in front of their kids. I know one personally. I agree, that that can't be good for the kids to know that their parents cannot wait to send them off and be without them for 6 hours a day. I know that time alone is a good thing and I will get some of it because my Mother loves to have my girls for sleepovers, so I understand that need, but when I had to send my kids to school for the day I was always missing them. This is our first year HSing and all summer and especially as the end of August nears I don't have that guilty sick feeling in the pit of my stomach from knowing that school will start soon and I will be away from the kids( I work nights so there were some days we would just see eachother in passing :cry
Funny you should mention this. I just got myself in a bunch of trouble on facebook with a sarcastic jest in reply to one of those parents who can't wait to get rid of her kids. I touched a lot of nerves & ended up deleting my comment as I am typically a people pleaser & non-confrontational. I was actually told to "keep your opinions to yourself". I even offended a friend who is not on FB because gossip travels. This says a lot because I bend over backwards to not make waves in anything I do. Learned my lesson although I am perturbed my opinion should only be stated if it goes along with the group. I'm not sure if they are jealous or something else. I figure if you think you are doing what's best for your family than someone's comment from the other side of the fence should not really matter. Like I could care less if they make fun of me homeschooling. That commercial made me laugh at first but it quickly made me sad. I see & hear this type of behavior at work (childcare center at a gym) this time of year. I hate that the kids hear it & I can't believe parents all of a sudden can't wait to "get rid" of their kids at the magical age of 5 onward. I even hear it at McDonald's from complete strangers. It makes me very sad. I will add I do enjoy the uncrowded places now. I feel bad for that but I can't help it.
I think it's because sometimes people feel guilty about their feelings. But when they are around like-minded folk, they can push that guilt back. And then you come around and call them on this attitude, that guilt barges forward and they don't like it. They perceive that you're condemning their lifestyle, when actually it's their own guilt that is condemning it. BUT to be quite honest, I'm dancing in the aisles about my kids going back to school! It means for us that DH will be gone during the day, and my life can once again fall into its comfortable routine. I love homeschooling (most days), and can't wait to get started up again!!!
I saw the commercial and thought it was funny... for a commercial. Not in real-life. I understand needing a break and that it is easier when the kids are in school, but children should never have to hear that their parents can't wait for them to be out of the house all day.
I for one am glad my kids are getting back to school only because we enjoy that time together. Every time I turn around some smiling person says "I bet you can wait for your kids to get back to school." I just smile and tell them "yes, because we homeschool." Then they stand their looking a little confused LOL.
I have actually gotten that all summer at various places. The last place was a furniture store last week. The Salesman was asking if the girls were ready to go back to school and said to me "oh, I bet you're just counting down the days" I just kind of half smiled and said nothing, this being our first year I have to work on the come backs, but EVERYONE has that mindset that the end of the summer means "Woo Hoo the kids are going to be out of the house all day again, I don't have to entertain and humor them" I never realized it as much as I do now that all the talk all summer is about how much time is left before back to school. While my kids were still in PS I was always waiting for their breaks and vacations. Glad that's done
