All day, my Facebook feed was filled with families celebrating the last day of school. I’m thrilled for them but I feel weird about the last day of school this year.

I mean, for starters, school has been long over for everyone in our house. My eldest finished his university term a couple of months ago and my homeschooled youngest son finished his Grade 11 classes in the first week of June.

So today wasn’t our last anything, really.

And, of course, since we were doing lessons at the kitchen table, the change from homeschool to no school was not the definitive change that it would have been if he had been going to regular classes.

It’s just a bit odd and I feel a bit melancholy about it.

I can remember all those times walking home with the kids on the last day of school singing the little song we had made up to celebrate my eldest’s last day of kindergarten. It was always so exciting to be schedule-free and ready to just hang out together.

It’s natural for things to change, of course, and I am really okay with it, just kind of nostalgic and wishing there was a bit more ceremony for this second last ‘last day of school!’ for our family.

This time next year, my youngest will have graduated high school. I’ll have to be sure to create more ceremony around the very last last day.

Meanwhile, I am thrilled for all those excited kids and excited parents and relieved and excited teachers. This year has been a hard slog for everyone and they all deserve some damn rest.

This gif goes out to my friend Jan who is an amazing teacher and a big fan of the Muppets.

I’m proud of you and your hard work, my dear friend, enjoy your summer!