Too soon?
Yesterday my Facebook feed was filled with cute pictures of people’s children going back to school.*
Think about this, guys. Yesterday was August 13th.
THE THIRTEENTH.
As in, “why the heck are these kids going back to school so early?!”
Ha, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy that school was back in session and it means our neighborhood might be a bit quieter during the day (read: won’t have to hear bouncing basketballs all day), but DANG, it seems early.
When you were in school, when did you typically “go back”? Parents, does August 13th seem early… or not early enough? (Ha ha.)
I think that is the last time anyone has referenced me as being “quiet.”
Where I lived in Iowa, it seemed we always went back the week before Labor Day, and that school always started in late August. I associate the start of school with my snister’s birthday, which is August 25th. And it was the same in college – the week before Labor Day.
When I was in school, I would get really sad about going back. The other night I was telling friends how nice it is not to have that “end of summer” dread anymore. I think I just struggled with the change of routine. It’s better now that I just do something I dread all year round (juuuuuuust kidding!).
*Which was a nice break from all the news/status updates about Robin Williams. Not that it is bothering me, but just that seeing it all is making me feel very overwhelmed and sad.
Themocracy
It’s stupid early. When I was in school in MN it never started before labor day. It’s still summer now!
I grew up in Maryland, school NEVER started before Labor Day! It’s absurd that these kids are starting back already….where did summer go? Or are these kids going back to school before summer is over?!
They are going back before it’s over, for sure!
My kids go back next week. Booh. It is early it seems!
We always went back towards the end of August but I don’t remember the exact date. I just looked up my hometown school calendar and they go back on August 20th. Growing up, I always thought schools that went back after Labor Day were weird!
Yeah, I was always surprised to hear about post Labor Day school starts since that wasn’t my norm!
I remember going back just before Labor Day. This seems really early, but maybe it’s better to get out earlier than the middle of June when kids get all summer crazy?
Maybe I’m a soulless non-breeder but I’m really sick of reading parents’ complaints about their kids going back to school this week. I’m sooooo sorry you chose to have kids and educate them and you have to wake up 1 hour later than I do everyday anyway. And weren’t you just complaining about them not being in school in June and how they were already complaining about being bored?
🙂
Yeah, I DO think it’s nice to get out end of May or very early June. Can you imagine being in school until the end of June? NO GRACIAS!
Ha ha ha. I saw someone yesterday posting about how bored THEY were that their kid was back in school. Some people always find something to complain about online!
We always started the Tuesday after Labor Day until I moved my Sr Year to California. They started beginning of August and went through the first week in June (they also had a “holiday” like every other week).
My daughter goes back the week before labour day. I think it’s a nice way to do it, then they have two weeks where it’s not 5 days to ease into it. I remember starting in Sept. I like this better!
Kids here started two weeks ago! Their first full day was 7/31. I would have freaking hated that. The year after I graduated they started this new “enhanced calendar” where they have six weeks off in the summer, two weeks in the fall, two weeks around Christmas, and two weeks in the spring.
What?! July?! No. Are you kidding me?!
Ahh, it’s one of those. Hmm, have you heard if people like the new calendar?
It is early, but many schools are trying to push towards more of a year-round system with a shorter summer break and longer fall/winter/spring breaks throughout the year. Yesterday was my brother’s birthday and I know for sure we still had a few weeks of summer after his birthday and before school started. I hope kids that need summer jobs have enough time to work when their summer break is cut short like this. I know I appreciated my summer breaks so I could work!
Ha! Good point about the summer work! Six weeks to work is not so much! And you know, some places probably miss that cheap summer labor!
I understand the year-round system, but I wonder how much that mucks things up for parents who need to get child care for those short breaks when their kid is off and they are not. Maybe it’s just as easy to get as a long summer sitter, I don’t know.
One of my coworker’s kids went back to school this week, but I guess they’ve done that so they can finish the semester before Christmas break, which makes perfectly good sense to me. I’d HATE going back to school this early, but starting two weeks earlier so you don’t have those awkward two weeks after Christmas before the end of the semester makes a lot more sense, I think. That was one of my favorite things about college: finishing exams before break!
We always went back the week before Labor Day, but at some point during my education Michigan changed the law so that schools couldn’t start before Labor Day (in the name of increasing tourism, or something). I went to a private school, though, so we didn’t have to follow the rules 😛 We (and other private schools) continued to go back the week before Labor Day, which meant that we got out earlier in the summer 🙂
Yeah! My friend was telling me her daughter’s high school does that so finals are before break. But I think even in high school… I still would have preferred a longer summer and finals after break. I mean, it’s just high school. LOL – mine was REALLY easy.
We always went back the week before Labor Day, but my parents live across the street from a Chicago public school, and they went back later than us. Little bro and I used to whine about how unfair it was, lol.
But I bet you were happy in the beginning of summer when you got out earlier! 🙂
Yeah, I think Linn-Mar always started in the early to mid 20s of August. I’ve been surprised about how many schools started last week in my area, or so I hear from the moms at my yoga studio. We’ve already had to deal with the school year starting up–we live right by a high school and get to hear the marching band a lot.
Can you please include pictures of lil’ Kim in every post? PUH-LEASE. I always thought school started later as well but I’ve been in for a rude awakening with Mark as a teacher. His classes begin on Monday and it is late when compared to other districts, and that is Aug. 18.
Aww, thanks! Ha – I could do that for maybe 50 posts!
What does Mark think about the start date?
My birthday is August 22. When I was a kid, I ALWAYS had a summer birthday. But then my high school pushed up our start date to the week of or before my birthday. Suddenly I was celebrating my birthday in school which was weird.
And now I work in retail and have no sense of what’s normal. We started planning back-to-school stuff in the spring, before school was even out. We’ve been planning for the holidays (Christmas) for months now. By the time it’s November 1, I’m like OH GOD WE’RE LATE FOR THE HOLIDAYS. It’s kind of sick and I’ve totally been brainwashed.
It’s way too soon! One year there was work being done on our school and they didn’t start until after Labor Day. We went up to Door County and it was quiet and peaceful. Heaven!
Ooo, that is a huge plus of everyone going back – quiet tourist spots! 🙂
It is early, ridiculously early, but having finals before break is so much better than having students cram right after vacation and then failing finals. The last final before break though always sucks statistically no matter where you put it.
Maybe they should do shorter semesters! Ha ha! Just kidding 😀
It seems incredibly early! When I was a kid I remember going back right around Labor Day.
Here, school starts September 1st and ends the last weekday in June. Vacation is the full months of July and August.
University classes start the last week of September.
I love that school picture of you – very cute!
Gosh. Did that seem late when you first moved there – the June finish?
Thank you! 🙂
My sister lives in GA and her kids went back like 2 weeks ago.
My BIL’s kids in Indiana went back about 10 days ago. My husband when I told him that said, “What whose going to bring in the corn.” once an indiana boy always an indiana boy. LOL.
Oldest goes back next week (so do I!) and the youngest was in school all summer so she’s on her break and goes back at the end of the month. It is weird. But I also enjoy the idea of year round schooling.
I like starting early so I can get out early as well. My first day is Monday, August 25th. Yes, I am looking forward to it! 🙂
I’m so old I barely remember when I was in school (haha) but I feel like it was always after labor day. All of my FB friends who are not local, their kids are in school already. My kids start next week. Thank God. LOL I’m SO ready for them to be in school, but on the other hand, I think they’re starting at the right time. Beginning of August is too early.
That is the cutest photo of you! Little Kim (Lil’ Kim?!?), AHHHH! August 13th seems stupid early to me. In Virginia, we always started the day after Labor Day, so anything in August is just crazy. That’s still summer.