Frost

Something woke me early this morning. The sky was just starting to lighten with the approaching dawn. I looked down at the backyard, and saw a glimmer on the tops of branches and the swingset. The grass still had color, so I knew it was frost, not snow. Heavy frost. So much for getting out of work today.
A bit later, my teenage son came in and mumbled that he was too sick to go to school. What he really means is that he is too tired. Teens need more sleep than they are willing to admit. So, they stay up late (because they think they have the stamina), and then they end up too tired. Typically, teens need 10 hours of sleep at least 4 times a week. But, they stay up all week working on homework, then stay up on weekends doing things they enjoy, so they end up not getting the rest they need at this crucial time in their lives.
How come I can understand this, but the schools don't. They schedule high school to start way too early. I suppose they want the high school kids to get home in time to watch their younger brothers and sisters.
The problem is that society is now based on having both parents working. I know few families that can get by on one person's paycheck. Especially with the increasing costs of college loaming like a behemouth. So, there are less mommies at home to watch their own children, so older brothers and sisters are being expected to rear their siblings or the parents have to obtain child care (which eats up most of the second parent's pay check.)
Sometimes, I wonder if it is worth it. I enjoy working (at least I did when I was working for REACH), but I also enjoyed being home with my first two children (who are now teens). I enjoyed being available to take them places after school or attend field trips. I am missing that with my third child. I am less able to attend her field trips, class parties and to take her places after school. As it is, I am not home in time to cook dinner anymore. Unless I put something in the crock pot, I am no longer the cook of the family. I miss that too.
I am not sure how this blog got here from frost on the swingset, but that is the way blogs are. They ramble.