Yes, it’s real. The month before the summer holidays is actually quite stressful for parents, kids and teachers alike. Just getting through that one month is like covering a whole year of work!
30 days before the summer holidays, the madness begins. There are school assignments to be completed, regular homework to be done and also studies for the end of the year tests. As parents we also have to deal with the end of yearly hobby classes and wrapping them up. This is also the time of the year when everyone wants to work at their peak as everything will slow down during summer. And of course, not to forget the appreciation notes to teachers, coaches and the year end gifts. Among all this your child brings a couple of birthday invitations! And don’t forget to plan your vacation trips. All this, along with the regular school, work, pick-ups and more.
So how do we deal with it? Well, it’s never been easy to manage the year end madness. But I’ve found that April is a good month, especially with a school break, to plan out a bit of the May-June madness.
It’s easily possible to pick up end-of-the-year teacher gifts in April so that gets its due diligence. And while I’m at it, I pick up a couple of generic Lego sets that can be a quick birthday gift for a sudden birthday invite in June.
It’s also a lot easier when you can squeeze in an hour or two on weekends to study with kids and prep for the end of the year tests.
Preparing a test-bag is also useful – so, I just put together some writing material, stationary and whatever else kids need for the test into a bag and keep it ‘test-ready’. So, on test day, just grab and go! One thing off your plate at the last minute!
I’ve always found that cooking a bit extra and shoving it in the freezer has always helped during the May-madness. It’s easier to take, heat and eat rather than prep, cook, eat and clean.
Learn to let go of routine in the last month. It’s ok if your child is wearing a stained set of clothes to school in the last month if it preserves your sanity. And don’t fret about putting things away this month! You have the whole summer to clear out the clutter.
So, chin up and chug through the last month with courage!