Boys of Summer

August 24, 2025

The boys and girls are back at school. This means I don’t have seven kids to watch on Tuesday, and five to watch on Thursday and Friday. As well as two every other Saturday, and the occasional sleepover. And working Monday and Friday.

My new schedule is easy. Work Monday and Wednesday. Watch Superboy Tuesday and Thursday mornings before I drop him off at his preschool. That’s it.

The sudden drop in activity has thrown me for a loop. This happens each year at the end of summer. July and the beginning of August are just so hard. By that time, I have run out of ideas, activities, money and energy. The kids are all bored and sniping at each other. It’s so damn hot and muggy we can’t enjoy outside. I do my best, but I come up short often.

Now the kids are all enjoying bring back at school, seeing their friends, and learning new things. And Superboy is starting preschool on a farm! Everything is new and exciting!

And I’m suddenly lonely. And bored. And kinda sad. I don’t know what to do with myself, so I do mostly nothing. I think I’m in withdrawal.

Just last night, the weather became cooler. The extended outlook forecasts a long stretch of cool, sunny weather, and I am elated. This will ease my transition into my non-summer life. I have already trimmed the bushes back and cleaned the coop. I have lopped and pulled unruly weeds. I have started the long process of purging my storage and closets. I am paring down.

Paring down on spending money on kids’ and family activities, on the clutter in my house, on fulfilling others’ daily needs, on the amount of junk food in my kitchen, on expectations of myself and others.

Fall means I get more. More time to myself, more time to do and be what I want. More outside chores, more hikes and walks, more creating, more fresh air and sunshine, more cool nights with the windows open, more kids’ football games, more being alone in my house. More quiet.

I love my grandkids. They are my life. But in fall, I get to enjoy them in person a lot less. And I appreciate them so much more.