Random thoughts on school

Woke up feeling a bit strange today. Today's the first morning since I've been back where I actually woke up at a 'normal' hour.

I've been reading a lot this morning from friends who have been dealing with 'first day back at school' stuff. Friends who are happy to have freedom from kids, friends who've cried about babies growing up, folks angry about transportation troubles, and those proud pictures of kids wearing their 'first day of school' clothes.

I don't know if I'm looking forward to my kids going back to school. By nature/genetics/nuture (whatever), I am a worrier. I hate having to put my kids in the car each morning and feel like I'm facing death in the face to get them to school through morning traffic. There are a few friends the kids have from school whom we have not heard from - are they coming back to the region or did the economy force them to head back to their home countries? But most of all, I simply enjoy having my munchkins around. It feels so peaceful sitting here typing on the computer, listening to the whirr of the dishwasher and washing machine mixed with the happy sounds of my munchkins playing together. If it were not for my friends here, I would feel great loneliness when the munchkins are in school. And, that loneliness deepens if the husband has to travel for work.

I try to stay busy. I help out where and when I can. Comparing being a stay home parent and being a working parent is interesting stuff. I love being involved in the world outside the home (ie working full time), but then I would have days that I truly just wanted to be home and not so busy. As a stay home mum, I have days that I wish I was working full time and making more use of my education. I am just so greatful that I have a choice.

Thinking on the first day back at school, I've been reading about difficulties friends and neighbors are having back in the home country with school transportation for their children. They are really upset that the schools are no longer providing free transport. I probably would have been upset too, but living in another country (feels like another world some days) has really changed my attitude about such things. Paying someone else to drive your kids to school here is very costly (in my not so humble opinion). So, I drive my munchkins myself. After fighting through crazed traffic (think high speeds, lanes seen as a 'suggestion' at times, lots of honking), it takes me about an hour and half to get the munchkins to school and return home. In no/light traffic, the drive would only be about 15 minutes each way.

The munchkins here have school uniforms which I find is good and bad. Growing up without uniforms, for me was a mixed experience. There was the constant fear/worry over about whether or not you were dressed ok for school. But, you got to pick your own stuff. It was a good lesson in how to dress well without blowing your bank account (or at least your parents' bank account). Not to mention, it was a good lesson in that there will always be someone with more/better materials things/clothes than you, but you are still a good and worthwhile person!

Here, we worry about shoes having a blue Nike swoosh on them when the rule is that they have to be all black or all white (you get the picture). So much uniformity makes my stomach squirm. Yes, uniforms are probably cheaper, and yes kids worry about whether or not they need to have the latest and greatest high end clothes to fit in if there are no uniforms. But....no uniforms bring some valuable life lessons. I just hope uniforms also bring valuable life lessons, because I have many days that I really hate those uniforms.

Change of subject...today's snap is of the munchkins picking vegetables in Great Grandma's garden. Ah, simple joys.

Peace.