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It is difficult to balance being a mother and a professional. Sometimes it feels like I am always looking for the next adventure, whether that involves writing, online prep, or starting a nonprofit. I can often forget to stop and smell the flowers. But, no time like the present and this upcoming Labor Day weekend is such a beacon for new schedules and returning to routine that I cannot help but take some time to reflect…

For most children summer is a lazy time–making friends, relaxing in the sun, campfires and swimming. I can almost hear the collective groan of children everywhere as this weekend approaches and marks the inevitable end of summer. However, I cannot help but think that somewhere, deep down, they are a little excited too.

My children are ages eight and eleven and I often try to think about how I looked at the world from these ages. I remember the excitement mixed with anxiety about new classrooms, a new wing of the school, new students. I had to have the coolest folders, the best pens and run as fast as I could from the embarrassing clothes my mother wanted me to buy. In this respect, things have not changed too much. In other ways, my children are living childhood in a way that I never experienced.

The pressure placed on school and college and grades is astounding.  And as much as kids everywhere are relishing their last few days of summer, they are also looking forward to being in a routine. As fun as summer is for a child, it can be a little boring too. At a certain point all of us feel the string of routine and purpose pulling us up off the beach. As humans we are compelled to create, to improve, to strive. Children feel this too, and this is why establishing good habits for your children and making a back to school plan makes life easier for the whole family.  As the parent, you must show your children how to bring order to their lives.

So, take a deep breath, and try to feel excited about that upcoming routine too. If the whole year consisted of summertime idleness, we would not have a future of children who are doctors, novelists, and physicists…

At least this is how I am trying to look at Labor Day: a day to get my bearings and set new personal goals for time management, parenthood, and personal endeavors. After all, without these lifelong pursuits a slow summer day just wouldn’t feel as good.

Now if only I can make it onto my chaise lounge in time to let the day unfold…