Adios Woolly Mammoths, Au Revoir Elementary School

Skipping from from 50 degree high temps to 85 degree high temps in a matter of days in the South can only mean one thing: the hot air spewing out of Washington D.C. has actually infected more than our economy--it's screwing with the weather too. It also means we're getting dangerously close to the end of the school year. I don't usually breathe these words aloud for fear some warped Father Time figure senses my excitement and turns back the clock to September again. But short of that happening, my 11 year old should be footloose and fancy-homework-free in exactly 18 days...not that I'm counting. And this start of summer is bigger than the others we've rejoiced in. Not only is he out of school, but he'll actually be out of elementary school for good.

That's right, friends. That peanut that surprised me by arriving a little over 11 years ago is now grown up enough to face the most difficult and daunting task of his short life so far: middle school. (Cue the ominous music.) Nothing like days of acne, wondering if you'll always be the shortest kid in class and getting snubbed by girls with serious hormone issues to celebrate the passage from child to teenager. You remember the fun.

But before we hit the Mother of All Childhood Roller Coasters, there's 2.5 months of sleeping in past 6:30 a.m., no math homework cutting into nighttime TV viewing, and no projects involving balls of twine, a hot glue gun, Cheerios, feathers and 3 lbs of sand to do. And I'm sure Chase has his reasons for enjoying the summertime as well. In just a few short weeks, he'll begin his days off from school, and I predict it'll be about 2.3 days in before he's walking into my office complaining of boredom. But hey, better to be bored without a project on the Woolly Mammoth looming than the alternative. And there's always plenty of yard work I can offer him if he's desperate enough. I'm betting the boredom dissipates fast when he hears that option.

For now, we'll be planning an end-of-elementary-school bash (EESB) to include a plethora of 11 year old activities that aren't yet considered humiliating...like dancing in front of your friends. (gasp!) Mix some boogieing with some games, fruit punch, and the obvious absence of pre-historic animals and let the party begin!