What?! It's the end of summer already?!

          I got a real kick out of my son's Mandarin class this week. In our Parents & Tots class at Language Stars*, we were studying emotions. It was the last class before the fall semester starts and the last "summer camp" outdoor class for my two older ones. Needless to say, it sort of crept up on me (happens to me a lot, actually). As a teacher, I know that HIS teacher was saying to herself, "Doesn't she read ANYTHING we send home?" as I proceeded to ask when the last class was and when the fall semester started. It reminds me of an infant with a jack-in-the-box. Surprised every time. 

     Anyway, the topic was "emotions." There's really nothing funny about that at all. Or, at least, there wasn't until the teacher took out this big picture of a stuffed bear. Also not funny. But then she started sticking these different faces to it and I found it incredibly funny. I just had to take some pictures. And, not only was it funny, but some of the faces reminded me of myself and my reaction to the end of summer.  

    First, this is how I looked at the beginning of the summer.  This is supposed to be bear's angry face, but I think of it more as a "game face."  I was ready to get things done this summer.  1) Start some more serious Mandarin study of my own.  2) Read more Mandarin books with the kids.  3) Find or make them each an age-appropriate workbook . . . . 

"Mama bear is gonna get stuff done this summer."

This, however, is EXACTLY how my face looked the last day of summer classes:

"What do you mean this is the last class?!"
 

This is a picture of me now that, not only do we not have class all week, but I also somehow managed to accomplish ABSOLUTELY NONE of my goals for the summer. 

"But summer classes just CAN'T be over!"

  Needless to say, I'm quite sad that summer is coming to an end.  And, just as I have every school-related semester since college, I vow to actually get something accomplished during the fall semester.  Promise.  This time, I'll at least try to read the memo about when it's over.  

As always, thanks for reading,
Tammy

*We get 50% off our tuition for blogging about our Language Stars experience.  But still, the opinions expressed here are my own.