What happened to summer? I swear it was here a minute ago, with its long hot days fading into indigo twilight, its early dew-dappled dawns.
Now we’re back to getting up before it’s light out and low clouds that dump rain at random intervals. It’s B.C.’s favourite season AutumWinterSpring, also known as the season of damp, cool, darkness.
So how did I miss summer? Why did I spend most of my time inside instead of revelling in our brief seasonal deliverance? Where was I?
Mostly at work. When I wasn’t at work, I was doing chores or cooking or fretting about car repair costs or otherwise doing the boring/stressful things adults do.
Kids, don’t spend your summers like me.
Every September, as predictable as the back to school sales, there are a host of op eds and reports suggesting that we institute year-round schooling. Cut back on summer breaks. Keep those kids in class, soaking up knowledge! After all, if they can’t do a better book report, how will our economy ever compete with China!
No.
No no no no no.
First, some advice to the kids.
If your parents ever suggest that year-round schooling be made mandatory in this province, organize a strike. Immediately. That jackassery needs to be nipped in the bud right away.
To adults who might be considering this… are you really that evil?
Yes, it’s flat out evil to yank away summer vacations from children. Why don’t you go find a five-year-old and tell them Santa and the Easter Bunny just died, for good measure?
The theoretical reason for year round schooling is that it’s educationally better. Usually, as I mentioned, this is backed up by economic anxiety.
So we should make the kids suffer for this? They didn’t get us into this mess! If we’re in trouble, maybe we need to force the 40 and 50 and 60-somethings to go back to class for remedial English after work.
Remember, I’ve seen your social media postings. Many of you still don’t understand the difference between there, their, and they’re.
But I think the real reason for the year-round schooling push is jealousy. Like me, a lot of you missed the summer. We’re grown ups, we’re busy. It’s awful, yes.
But the answer is not to make the next generation suffer just because we have to.