Monday, September 09, 2013

Four Days in Between

Photo: Great: this afternoon they'll be bouncing off the walls and I'll be asleepPhoto: Five Guys, two kids, & one beautiful day at Love Park
Today is the first day of school, finally.  Last week,  though it was a short week (what with Labor Day off), was a long week.  Because it was an "in-between" week for camp and school.

In years past, the gap between the end of summer camps and the beginning of school was one day.  I typically took the kids into work with me, and it was a fun way to ease into the week after a holiday weekend and the end of summer.

But with many employees and families taking off for the Jewish holidays, the School District of Philadelphia decided to just start on the Monday after the week after Labor Day weekend.  And our summer camps all ended the Friday before Labor Day weekend.  What to do with the kids for four whole days?

Amy and I decided to split the week down the middle.  Two days they came to work with me, and two days Amy took off work and stayed home with them.

My two days were touch and go.  I was pretty busy so I had to rely on them being autonomous and quiet.  They got the autonomous part down, but the quiet part not so much.  My nearby co-workers were incredibly gracious.  It was fun to take the kids out to lunch both days, once to a Five Guys and once to a chocolate bar.

The other two days were much easier for me.  Not only did I have the office back to myself, but I didn't even have to do drop-off or pick-up.  How freeing!  Amy, on the other hand, had to hold down the fort solo, plus three other kids came over, plus she waited out a dishwasher delivery.  Oh, and she got some work in, too, even though technically she was off.

Today we start new routines and get into new rhythms.  We're thankful that this past week's bumps weren't too bad, and that we even had a little fun along the way.

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