September Is Stressful for Parents, Too

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By Andrea Delbanco Editor in Chief, TIME for Kids When school wound down in June, I wondered how I’d manage work while my kids were in and out of the house and constantly requesting rides. They’re at the age when they no longer need childcare but can’t drive themselves to their endless activities and hangouts. Now, with school almost back in session, I wonder how I’ll manage the early mornings, carpool chaos, and nagging about homework while my stress level at work is on the rise (weekly TIME for Kids magazines are back in schools starting next week).  So much of parenting is focused on establishing order and creating routines. Maybe that’s why transitions are tough for me. Also, they mark the passage of time, and remind me how quickly it’s moving. I’ve traded photographing Anna and Rosie with homemade first-day-of-school signs for seeing their pics on social media—which they posted in the middle of math class. After the chaos caused by COVID, I remind myself to be grateful for the mere fact that the girls are going back to school. It’s almost unreal to remember how many days we spent seeing school through laptops while troubleshooting Wi-Fi. TIME’s new story “Why the Nation’s Largest School District Is Making Virtual School a Permanent Option” made me wonder: If we could skip the chaos of the morning rush and the back-to-school butterflies, would we want to? Would you? Please share your thoughts with me at andrea@time.com.  Best, Andrea

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