Back to School Already?
August 02, 2013
Posted By: Bozemama
Every time my kids see the cover of Montana Parent ’s Back-to-School issue, they cringe and whine, “Aw, man . . . not yet.” I remind them not to panic and to focus on relishing the remaining 26 days of our delicious Montana summer before they embark on their fifth- and eighth-grade years. Back to school can be a crazy quilt of emotions for kids and parents alike: anxiety and excitement overlap with relief and nostalgia, you name it. And we talk about it all –from the practical to the personal – in our essential August issue, which is on newsstands in Bozeman, Belgrade, Helena and Butte now.
Along with our annual listing of preschools, private schools and after-school activities, we offer advice on homework, suggestions for lunches, an inside look at Montessori, a breakdown of college campus safety, a must-read list of the dos and don’ts of middle school written by two savvy kids who’ve been there and so much more.
August 28, which is the first day of public school in Bozeman, will be a bittersweet day for our editor and fearless leader Leigh Ripley. On that day, Leigh will walk her third and last child into the Kindergarten classroom at Anderson School. On one hand, Leigh can barely contain her delight at having seven uninterrupted hours to herself for the first time in many looong years; on the other, she will mourn the end of an era and is fully prepared to “avoid life for a day, close all the shades, watch bad TV and feel sorry for myself” for a few days.
As parents, we know (at least rationally) that time marches diligently on, heedless of heartstrings and sentiment. We are reminded of this every time we see our children transition from one stage of development into the next. And so, whether you are driving your kid to college or walking them down the street to the local preschool, we will be right there by your side.
Meantime, you should definitely do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to enter this month’s Mama’s Got a New Bag contest . You know you deserve it.
Kisses,
Bozemama
