Back to School: This Dad Is Okay with It

I know some folks hate to see the end of summer, but as a parent I am ready for the kids to go back to school. With both parents working full-time, figuring out activities and child care across TEN LONG WEEKS (!) of summer has been both a challenge and a disruption. Plenty of great times, sure, but tough on productivity.

For us in upstate New York, we won’t start until Wednesday the 8th because, you know, in today’s agrarian society we need the kids out working the fields to help bring in the harvest. After Wednesday’s half day, the kids will take off on Thursday, then go for the first full day on Friday the 10th. Never fear: they’ll get a weekend to rest after that grueling stretch.

I like the two scenes below because I identify with Dad’s gleeful little secret. As someone who grew up on “School’s Out,” released in the summer of ’72, I love the refreshing twist of this Staples commercial:

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The scene from “The Cosby Show,” which you can see by clicking here (sorry, I couldn’t locate it on Youtube) takes a minute before it kicks in, but the wait is worth it. After Rudy wakes up Bill to announce it’s the first day of school, she leaves to get dressed.

Then Bill and Claire have this exchange:

BILL (very excited, kisses his wife awake): “Claire, Claire, Claire! It’s the first day of school.”

CLAIRE (sits up): “It’s the first day of school??!!”

BILL: “First day of school!”

CLAIRE (big smile): “We get the house back!”

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