...it to be the last day of school.

...but it wasn't.

I griped about this to a few friends this week when I came across this article.  My friends responded with their collective moans and sighs and shared their own sagas' of the 'fun' end-of-year activities the teachers want them um, I mean their children, to do.

Instead of it being the last day of school today...I too was given 'extra' activities to attend, prepare or volunteer for.

Really.

In the past twenty four hours I have been informed of two field trips, one costume requirement for an end-of-school year project, and three school picnics (forgive me...but didn't we participated in one this past Friday?  At least to me, eating a packed lunch outside in the sunshine with the entire school, is defined as a school picnic.  See.  Evidence.  Below.)

all the children and adults even dressed alike at this not-a-school-picnic

But alas.  No.

We have a preschool picnic, a band picnic, and a school picnic to attend in the next two weeks.

Did I mention my children had a five day Memorial Day holiday?

And a half day scheduled for the next three Fridays?

Field trips, class parties, celebrations for the children whose birthdays fall in the summer...

Forgive me...but I am going to be the elephant in the closet and state:  PEOPLE I DON'T THINK THERE IS A WHOLE LOT OF LEARNING GOING ON!

I, am rather new to the my-children-are-in-school thing.  My oldest is only in fourth grade.  I cannot imagine that I have to do this end-of-school-year-thing for at least another fifteen years?

Eesh.  Sign.  Oh dear.  

Please don't think I am ungrateful.  I am not.  I love the school my children attend.  I am very happy with their teachers.  I am proud of my children.  And grateful for all the things I just mentioned.

But I am done with homework.  I am done signing planners.  I am ready for a break in packing lunches.  I have forgotten to send ice cream money already way too many Fridays.

I don't want to volunteer any more.  I can't seem to remember to send in permission slips.  And frankly...I just can't keep up with the schedule.

The weather is lovely tolerable up here in the North.  I want my kids to start jumping on the trampoline and sleeping in.  I want them to read books and collect rocks.  I would like to be off schedule.  (I cannot get them to sleep before 9:30 because it it too light outside!)

Perhaps next year when the school administrators are working on the schedule they should run it by parents who-actually-have-children-in-school?

I'm just sayin'.