Flash forward 30 years to now. My kids are filled with the anticipation of our week long family vacation, soccer try-outs, hours at the softball field, sleeping late. The pantry and fridge are full with fun summertime snacks. The neighborhood pool is about to open, and they will spend hours there. Life is good.
2 miles down the road the feelings are not the same. When 5 kids were asked on the last day of school if they were excited to be out of school, the answer was a resounding "NO".
Come again??? What kids aren't excited about summer vacation? When asked why they weren't excited it was because they were going to miss their teachers. One guy even said that he cried four times that day! You see, the teachers at their school are the most caring, compassionate teachers some of our friends will ever meet. They go above and beyond. They become family to many of our friends.
The other reason summer is not necessarily looked forward to, is because of food. As noted above, it takes a lot more to stock the pantry at my house during the summer. Three teenagers who normally eat lunch at school, are all of a sudden home for 3 meals a day. Here is the difference for our friends. Many of them receive free breakfast and lunch at school. When summer hits, it becomes a little more expensive to stock the cupboard when your kids are home now for three meals a day.
Yesterday a soon to be 7th grade boy called me. He called to chat about something we are doing this summer, but during the conversation I could tell something was bugging him. I told him I would always listen. About an hour later, he texted me to tell me that he did want to tell me what was wrong. You see, his single mom lost her job this week. The cable was already shut off and they received a 3 day notice for the gas and electricity. He said his mom wouldn't want anyone to know. She would "handle" it. I asked if they had food. He said, no, because his mom needed to save money for the bills. UGH! 3 kids times 3 meals, and no food equals 3 very hungry kids.
So, while we are enjoying our summer vacations, some of us traveling to multiple locations. While our kids are playing multiple summer sports, and we are complaining a bit about our teenagers eating us out of house and home, please remember these kids. Some bored, some missing some very significant teachers/mentors/friends, some facing homelessness and many eating their rationed food for the week. Many not playing sports, many not going swimming when it costs $5-$6 a person, and most longing for the day that school will begin again.
