Having just started my summer vacation, I started thinking about all the kids out there who are also out of summer school and finally getting a break.  Not every kid has had the whole summer off, but most do.

In most countries, children have all summer off, though there are lots of exceptions. In Australia, the school break coincides with the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, but they celebrate Christmas in the summer, so I guess even Australian students have summer off.  Still summer vacation hasn’t always been a given for students.

Prior to the Civil War, rural students had their spring and autumn off for planting and harvesting. And urban students attended school 48 weeks out 52 with only a short break in between quarters.  In the 1840s, Horace Mann began to reform educational practices.  He asked for better equipped school houses, for kids to be kept in school until 16 years old, and my favorite, for higher pay for teachers.  At the time, there were medical theories stating that over stimulation of a child’s mind might lead to insanity.  Summer vacation was needed to keep our children from going crazy.  Little did they realize that summer vacation really only keeps the teachers sane.

Our modern summer break continues to evolve. In California many districts have moved to year round calendars with shorter breaks in between, just like in the old days, only with longer breaks.

Some experts blame summer vacation for national lagging math skills and lowered graduation rates.  Others insist we need a long summer vacation to make school improvements (like repaving the parking lot) or for students to work in order to save for college.

Like most parents, I had to work most of my summer.  I have learned to keep my kids busy with sports while I work.  Idle hands at home are dangerous.  Now that I have some time off I thought it would be grand to go on a trip with my girls.  I have girlfriends in Pittsburgh, New York and D.C.  Wouldn’t a road trip be amazing? 

My teens just wanted down time.  The thought of sleeping in, reading books, riding bikes, watching old Degrassi episodes and going out to lunch with their mother was all they wanted. 

I was hoping for adventure, but instead I have time to clean my house and take a yoga class or two.  Most importantly, I finally have time to take my girls out to lunch!