Work, nap, clean: Parents and the first day of school

NEW YORK -- After a packed, hot summer of family vacations, camp or kids underfoot, what's a parent or caregiver to do with all that free time on the first day of school?

For some, the first drop-off of the new year will mean the usual: Head to work.

Others plan to double down on organizing and cleaning their summer-traumatized homes.

How about a nap?

Los Angeles mom Jill Simonian, with the youngest of her two daughters starting kindergarten, will be doing most of the above, with a breakfast bash thrown in for her mom friends in mid-August.

"Nothing like a good party with girlfriends to boost our happiness, motivation and to commemorate this new chapter of having a little bit more freedom with all our kids in school," she said. "I always feel reinvigorated when I spend time with friends, and us moms don't do enough of that. Getting the kids back in school means we can celebrate our lives and friendships, too."

Latisha Jones in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a lawyer, professor and mother of three, including a year-old son. Her other two children, 5 and 11, head back to school Aug. 9. She'll be mourning a little as she puts "vacation mom" into hibernation.

"Immediately after I drop my kids off for the first day of school, I cry at the thought of them growing up and another year of milestones," she said. "Five minutes later, I rejoice at the thought of some alone time. Ten minutes after that, it's back home to prep for them coming home and then off to work. The start of school signals the return of planning and prepping and order."

In Newport, Pennsylvania, Lisa Batra will have a kindergartner and a second-grader next school year, but they don't go back until after Labor Day.

"Camps end in the beginning of August, and the boredom definitely sets in," she said. "For the first time, my youngest will ride the bus, and I'll be at the bus stop taking photos and most likely shedding a tear or two. Afterwards, I'm getting that mani-pedi that I've been putting off. I deserve some me time!"

Avalon, California, mom Brittany Arnold has three children, ages 5, 10 and 15. She's looking forward to reuniting with her fellow school parents.

"After taking the kids to school, we head to a local restaurant and spend a good hour catching up," she said. "It's great seeing our friends, too, since summer can be hectic. Most take the mornings off on the first day, so it's a great time to reconnect."

Allyson and her husband in Scottsdale, Arizona, have a date after the Aug. 9 school drop for their two children, an 8-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son.

"We started a tradition two years ago on the first day of school to take the day off of work, go to breakfast with mimosas and go see a movie. Afterward, we come home and relax and then pick up the kids when school is out," she said.

Other couples plan date time as well, including trips to the spa. Several moms said it's back to the gym for them or simply enjoying a long overdue uninterrupted shower.

Wanda Thomas in Philadelphia said she and her husband -- the parents of a 6-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl -- spent one first day of school "sitting in the house doing nothing but appreciating the peace and quiet, 'til hunger set in."