and just like that, summer's over

It was a good day, all things considered. School was started. New habits were introduced. Old habits were successfully revived. I was feeling great until I realized--no more summer. No more skipping chores because it was just too nice outside. No more letting kids slide because they can sleep in. No more Mrs. Nice Mom. I've got to be the uber parent all over again.
When homeschooling is going well, there is nothing like it. You tally up the progress with an immediacy no school can offer. You watch your children metamorph into great readers and writers. You notice when they are flying through their fact tables instead of checking their fingers every problem. All of that leads to some really positive feelings. When homeschooling is going badly, there is nothing like it. The only person available to push the kids would be the only person there to get the kids to do anything. You find yourself arguing and disciplining all day long when one of the kids goes bad. On the days when they won't clean their room, they won't do their work and they won't say it nicely--well, I don't know of anything worse.
Summer is great because you have so little to be concerned about it. Some swim classes, some light chores, making sure that they at least get to bed before you do. I'm going to miss this summer. It got off to a bad start, but in the end I think it was the best summer we've ever had. Ah well, there's always next year.