schools out for the summer

Summer Vacation,  Ipswich Beach (USA) 2012

Summer vacation has officially started in Bavaria! My daughter had her last day of Kindergarten and will start First Grade in the fall. My son also had his last day of Second Grade on Tuesday. The weather is great with highs in the 30's (degree Celcius) almost everday. We all deserve this great weather after such a long, long winter. I can't help to think about the Tomton from Astrid Lindgrün.

I hope to have lots of fun with the kids this year with many visits to the public pool. We will not be going on a big vacation this year; we had a very big one last year. We spent three weeks on the road touring the upper New England states and visited my family in North Carolina.  We had a really great visit. It is a shame, we can't do it every year, but it just makes the time we spend together sweeter. So, it will be a relaxed summer this year.

It is great seeing the kids play together. That always isn't the case with part-time homeschooling as it is here in Germany most importantly Bavaria. The first two grades in school only run from 8am until 11:30am! (I hope next year it is a little bit better, at least until 12:30pm.) I spend at least one hour with my son doing homework and most days it takes two+ hours. There is after school care where the kids can go, eat lunch and do their homework, but there is a long waiting list. And if you don't have a job, you don't get a place. And if your child doesn't have a place, you don't get a job. So tell me politicians, how can we fix this problem?? Ganztagsschule für ALLE!

First on my list, is getting those old school papers under control and buying the new school supplies for the kids. Second, finding activities for the family to do, so we all have fun and don't go crazy. I am a bit of a procrasitinator, but work well under pressure. Something to rember to put on my resumé!

So, if I don't post anything for the next six weeks, you all know, that school is out for the summer, and we are having fun. I wish you all great weather and a happy, and relaxing time.