Oklahoma City family fun lets us find a break from daily life.
I know, summer just finished. We're all settling into new routines. It's just now becoming clearer what is when, who is doing what and where to find those backpacks each morning. What each teacher expects and how to help our children succeed is top of mind every day, before school and after.
It's all a little exhausting.
Kids everywhere are still figuring out their backpacks, their schedules and how all of this goes again. If grown-ups feel a little overwhelmed, kids have to be feeling that way and then some.
We've also experienced some, well, complications, at our house. Last Friday ended with a bang; our garage door literally crashed down and had to be repaired after dark with one of those 24/7 on-call services; that is not a fun way to spend money. This week, I have an asthmatic first-grader who had to have an emergency visit to his doctor, an unruly toddler, a teething baby and a sixth grader who's sleeping through his alarm and missing the bus. We have done all the evening open houses at three different schools and driven to the wrong museum location for a nighttime STEM workshop.
I'm ready to pull the shutters on this week.
And sometimes, that's what you have to do. I am grateful that this week is ending, yes, but also overjoyed it's Labor Day.
That celebration of people who work is not reserved for those who hold a job, which although I do, I want to be clear that is is for parents everywhere. Staying at home with a child doesn't look to me like, well, not a job. Whether you work outside the home, labored to have your child or didn't, we the parents are all just trying to do our best and parenting is the job that never ends. There is so much that goes into living, keeping up with everything. We all need a break, even when the routine is new. It's just fine with me that school is out on Tuesday too.
My days are going to get better. The toddler will go to school after this week and I am grateful for that too. 
Until then, though, we have an extra day of rest. If you get tired of resting and are ready to get out and explore your community, there are a lot of local events for Labor Day. I also recommend seeing the Isabelle de Borchgrave "Fashioning Art from Paper" exhibit at Oklahoma City Museum of Art before it ends Sept. 9.
There are days when we all cry in the grocery store and that's okay. Labor Day recognizes that effort too.
I hope your September gets off to a great start (and mine too)!
