The Summer Hangover

For most of us, summer vacations are in the past. All that planning and longing to go places, and spending quality time with our families and friends have ended.

We’ve said goodbyes and are looking ahead at the weeks and months to come.

The summer hangover is here for many of us.

We look back at the weeks that have been, at the same time as being pulled forward into the maelstrom of what’s to come. It’s a bit like being on a swing.

Many families with kids are feeling this time of year with some kind of emotion. Perhaps excitement of what’s to come? Or maybe a little nervous about going back to school?

How are you feeling about heading back to school? How are your kids doing? Do you talk to them about change?

Are you a teacher going back to school, like me? How are you feeling about the new semester?

Do you feel prepared or are you still frantically trying to piece together everything that needs to happen before the first day is here?

The summer is almost over, even though the weather is still stubborn to remain hot. It appears to be a permanent fixture here in the south with the thermometer stuck on hot and humid.

Schools are going back this month for most families with kids. Some schools have already begun the new semester where the rest of us are still frantically preparing for the new academic year.

Kids need new backpacks, shoes, clothes, and equipment.

Permission slips need signing.

Teachers prepare for the new semester by fixing their classrooms to fit the learning. Planning documents are circulated and signed off, ready to be delivered.

Humans are complex creatures. We can feel opposite emotions in equal measure during change. We might feel intensely happy, but sad and worried at the same time.

Change does that to us. We feel it as we anticipate what’s to come.

Perhaps there that one kid in your class that you’re thinking about. How will you reach them this year so that they can succeed?

The way our feelings work is a direct reflection of how we interpret our world. The holidays are over, and it’s a strange time of transition that falls upon us.

Transitioning. Yes, that’s the word we all dread because it’s a change and most of us don’t like change.

Going back to school is like putting on new shoes. The feeling is familiar because you are going back to the same buildings, and people as before, but the fit is different from last year.

Teachers get a new class of kids for the new semester. You might be teaching a different grade this year in a new classroom.

Some teachers have new responsibilities and need to get to grips with them quickly as the year begins.

New Teachers are hired and need to be mentored.

Kids go into a new year of learning.

Some kids change schools from elementary to middle school. Older kids begin high school and college.

Some parents must wave tearful goodbyes, as they drop their sons and daughters at college.

I saw my neighbors wave goodbye to their son who’s off to college, and it hit me that it will be me in a few years. I can’t imagine not having my kids living with us anymore.

How do you cope with these transitions?

We all deserve to take a break in all the preparation madness. Self-care and meaningful conversations are what’s needed in times of change.

Have you pressed the pause button at all this month? Or are you powering through like a steam train right to the finish line? (The first day of school).

My kids both need new backpacks for school. I don’t know what it is about boys, but things tend to wear out quicker than girls.

My kids like to collect “treasures” that they find. Their backpacks can be filled with stuff that has nothing to do with school when they come home.

My kids are active and there’s always sand and dirt that gets into every pocket and clothing. Pants with scuffed knees, dirty sleeves, and shirts. Holes in sneakers, or soles that fall off the shoes happen every year.

The laundry pile never ends in our house no matter what time of year it is.

I don’t mind buying new things for the school year. It’s like a new beginning for us. A fresh start of an academic year of learning and fun experiences.

I try to make my kids look after their stuff, but a backpack and shoes don’t ever last. I’m sure I’m not the only mom who has to replace stuff during the school year.

Whatever you are doing right now, I wish you all the best for a great school year ahead. Try and get a break every now and again. Check in on your loved ones to see how they are feeling in the overwhelm of everything new.

Most of all, if you are a parent, take a pause every now and then. Carve out a few minutes each day that is just for you.

Self-care is vital during change to let your mind and body fall into sync with your reality.

Allow it to happen.

Your mental wellbeing is essential for your overall health and can have a big impact on you when you feel down.

My name is Lizzy. I’m a trauma survivor, a wife, a mom, a teacher, and an author.

If you like reading my posts, then please follow me.

For more about me: www.elizabethwoodsauthor.com

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