They Should Make A T-Shirt

You know those t-shirts sold at amusement parks that say, "I survived the (insert name of roller coaster here)"? I think they should make one for parents that proclaims, "I survived the first week of school!"

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Sure, everyone knows the first week of school is hard on the kids. They go from complete freedom to a very structured environment overnight. They have to deal with new teachers, new classes, bus rides and sometimes new schools. It makes for a hectic week for parents too, though! Morning routines take well over a week to re-establish, meaning we have to roll out of bed and morph into a staff sergeant/cheerleader/nutritionist/events coordinator/fashion consultant/meteorologist. All before fully waking up, too. The evening of the first day comes, and with it, the dreaded back to school paperwork. I am of the mind that enlisting in the armed forces requires less paperwork than going back to school. It baffles me as to why, in the age of computers that we live in, does the school need my child's emergency information filled out in triplicate? There are also books to cover, scientific calculators to buy and lunch bags to find. By the weekend, my husband and I are usually as giddy at the thought of Saturday as the kids are.

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Today, as they head out for the second week of school, I can't help but think that our routine is well on its way to becoming smoother. I still want a t-shirt, though!