Watching a first-grader discover what school is all about

Summer is officially over and school has begun. It seems that each year summer goes by faster and faster. As a child, I remember a feeling of summer lasting forever. When school started at the end of August, I was ready, my mom was ready, and so was everyone else.

Cooper has been excited for weeks now that school is starting. He has told everyone that he is now a big first grader, that first grade is way better than kindergarten because there isn't a rest time and that he can't wait to see his friends. Then we went to open house.

He was so excited to find out who was in his class and to see his friends. His eyes sparkled as he walked into his classroom and saw two of his best friends were also in his class. And then that sparkle died a little as he opened his desk to put his school supplies away and saw the writing notebook, math work book and reading folder.

With an adorable, I-should-have-thought-this-through look he turned to look at me and said, "Um mom, I'm not sure I really want to go back to school this week. Open house was good enough." In all the splendor that summer offers, he had forgotten that school not only included friends and fun but work as well.

Trying to hide my giggles, I told him there was nothing I could do and school was here whether he wanted it to be or not. In the ways of a 6-year-old, he of course tried to talk me out of it like I had all the control, and in my mean mommy way was just forcing him to do something he didn't want to do. He just didn't understand that this was the one thing I didn't dictate.

To make up for the fact that school was indeed a place of learning and not an all-day slumber party he got to pick out a dinner place and got frozen yogurt to ease the pain. He woke up the next day in a better mood, thinking perhaps he school wouldn't be so bad after all.

I'll remind him he said that when I can't get him out of bed in the morning and he's complaining that he just doesn't feel like doing school today.