My kids are headed back to school. My joy and anticipation cannot be overstated. But I would be remiss if I did not point out the obvious, so here it is In-Charge Person: “WHY ARE WE LETTING KIDS OUT FOR SUMMER FOR 2-3 MONTHS?!?!” It’s RIDICULOUS.
The current school calendar was developed when the United States was still primarily an agrarian society. I don’t know about you, but I don’t FARM. I don’t even know anyone who DOES farm. So, thanks, but no thanks, I do not need my children home to help with the crops.
Essentially, summer is one big headache for me. Many days, if I manage to be home from work, it’s too hot to do anything. Maybe you think camp would be a good experience for my kids? I agree. Want to pay for it? Sleep aways camps starts at $300 a week and only go up dramatically from there. As a single parent, that is out of my reach. We aren’t doing a whole bunch of vacationing either. There is no summer house in the Hamptons, no grandparents to visit for a extended period of time. Vacationing is too expensive and extended visits lead to homicide.
How about we restructure our school calendar to reflect our change in societal structure? We are now a post-industrial society, and that fact every year for 10-12 weeks I am required to shift around every one’s schedule because 100 years ago, most families needed their kids home to farm, is just wrong.
Let’s move to year-round schools, or the “9 weeks on 3 weeks off” structure.
Because honestly? These kids are on my damn nerves.
(Honestly, I do believe in year round schools, but to be fair here is an article that has both the pros and cons.)
