Yesterday marked the end of winter break for my kids, and honestly, it felt like the end of a mini-vacation for me too. It was the last morning to sleep in, the last time I could stroll downstairs solo and enjoy two blissful hours of peace while my teens snoozed upstairs. The scent of coffee filled the air (thankfully not tears or my voice repeating the same questions), as I wrapped up my workout and savored the tranquility that eludes me during the school year. This kind of peace was something I relished every day during the past two weeks.
By 10 a.m. on a holiday, I typically have my fill of quiet and I find myself waking my enormous teenagers because I’m ready for some fun. They’re usually my favorite people to hang out with, but their busy schedules often keep us apart. However, during the break, they were all mine.
Now that my kids are older, school vacations mean something different. We need these breaks more than we did when they were little. The hustle and bustle of our regular Monday-to-Friday routine—filled with appointments, sporting events, meetings, and oh, the endless permission slips—can be overwhelming. Add in some overtired kids with raging hormones, and you find yourself desperately craving a break. A little respite is essential.
Like many families, we tend to get cranky when we’re stretched too thin, and it often leads to taking it out on each other. The older my kids get, the less quality time we seem to have together, and those moments between interactions are growing longer. We try to connect over dinner, but there’s always something looming: homework, sports practice, chores—it’s exhausting.
During school breaks, we have the freedom to do so much more. I feel this urgency to seize the moment while my kids are still around full-time, wanting to fit in activities that are much more challenging when they were younger. Gone are the days of packing diaper bags and coordinating outings around nap times. Now, we can explore new cities, visit rock climbing gyms, or enjoy leisurely lunches where I can sip on wine without the fear of spills, all while engaging in meaningful conversations—without meltdowns or diaper disasters.
Having nowhere to be is pure bliss, even if it’s just for a week or two. It allows us to catch our breath from the wonderful chaos of life and truly appreciate it in a way that’s impossible when we’re in the thick of it.
Sure, many people were thrilled for school to start back up this week, and I understand that sentiment. There was a time when I relished the peace that came when my kids returned to school, freeing me from their bickering, boredom, and the piles of toys scattered across the floor. But when the alarm went off at 6 a.m. this morning, I felt a familiar cringe because I knew what lay ahead. Our life was slipping back into a whirlwind of schedules, ensuring everything gets done, and trying to keep my sanity intact. I just wanted to hit pause and keep my kids on a more laid-back schedule a little longer—for them, but mostly for myself.
So no, I didn’t leap for joy while sending them off today. We navigated the morning chaos (we always do; some mornings are just more graceful than others), and when I finally took a moment to breathe in the quiet of the empty house, it wasn’t the same kind of peace I experience when they’re all here, sleeping, watching a movie, or lingering at the dinner table.
The peace a mother feels from a lively, happy home is entirely different from the quiet of an empty one. And honestly, I’m already counting down the days until I can wake them up late again and say, “Hey, get up! Let’s grab some fast food and catch a movie—no plans, just us!” It’s going to be glorious.