Every year, at our house, looking forward to school starting was an exciting time, the kids had a love/hate feeling about it, we all did, because it meant our summer was ending. We always did a lot together as a family in the summer. My husband took us camping in our travel trailer for years. So it was rough for me because my 4 little people would be leaving and off to face the many stresses and adventures of the world for about 6 hours a day without me. Inconceivable! The upside was I got to pick them up everyday and hug them and delight in bringing them back home safe. Not to mention spending time volunteering in their classes. I am definitely not a loner.

     Double checking homework times 4 kids is a lot but their dad and I had a system going and it worked for us. Having a copier at home was handy when one triplet forget part of their homework. Time doesn't stop though. There were projects, and homework that could not be done while at school, that one still baffles me, endless supplies of Kleenex are needed for these people, not to mention the hand sanitizer. But spending time together, laying in bed reading with them for those final few sleepy moments, priceless.

      Always an essay to write, especially as they got older. And they were very hard workers too. But I'm here to tell you those days go by too quickly. I wish I had them back.  When you are tired and have practiced those spelling words 50 times, go over them one more time. You won't regret it.

      So as this fall gets started, look for the little details, take notice of all the ways our children help us out. Even if we asked one of them 10 times to please take out the trash. What they did for us, whatever it was, was necessary, and it helped YOU as the parent and taught the CHILD a lesson in return. Despite a possible grumble or two, our child was actually happy to come to our aid.  And they will remember it.  How it made you feel and most importantly, how it made them feel.

     And what is fall without those "Friday Night Lights"?  Take time to enjoy them with your family. Turns out football plays on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and sometimes Thursday. Dare I say, lol?  And this Season opened for me on a Wednesday. Try to remember all the things you did as a kid or wished your parents had taught you. Maybe this fall is the time to take advantage of that.