The return of the new school year for the kids always brings a variety of new beginnings for the rest of us. The children’s school term starts a few weeks sooner than many other English-language international schools; as a result, our “other beginnings” start sooner too. On one hand, it seems unfair getting up at 05:30 when everyone else can still sleep in. On the other hand, our routines, activities, and experiments will be well under way – and proceeding swimmingly – by the time the other families start moaning about their early mornings.

For one thing, the kids will have bragging rights over their neighbour friends: “I already have two holes in my backpack, and lost one water bottle!” (Some children are proud of the strangest things.) For another, they will get to choose their after-school activities, and learn something new and fun, before their neighbours and friends do. For yet another, we feel completely justified in going away for the weekend already. After all, the kids will have had a week’s worth of schooling; that certainly deserves a little jaunt out of town, does it not?

For the parents, we get our butts in gear sooner too. No longer can we use the offspring as an excuse to slack off on the workouts: “There’s no one to watch the kids if I go for a run in the park.” Not anymo-ore! Nor can we put off the little projects we were supposed to do because “The kids are always up under my armpits!” Although, in my defence, they do have a habit of urgently needing your immediate attention when you’re busiest. We did it to our parents, and now that we have our own children, karma has come back to bite us in the… armpits.

Back-to-school is a second “new year”, a second chance to make and fulfill resolutions, an opportunity to get rid of bad habits, and maybe make a few good habits. That’s the hope, anyway. But it sure looks good on paper, doesn’t it? More workouts, more completed projects, more activities, more adventures – onward and upward! Woohoo!

Already a bit silly on Day 1. Ah, well.