The high points of my childhood are now the bane of my existence – School holidays.

As a mom who works outside the home full-time, a day off is a fate worse than hell some days and I’m a lucky one. I work at a university in an office where I can bring the kid in and plop her down with crayons and homework. My partner’s office isn’t as fit for having a kindergartner hanging out for the day – It’s just too busy. When I do stop to grumble, like right now, I force myself to think about the moms and dads who work in factories, retail, restaurants, and other places that aren’t appropriate for kids.

Add to this my questioning of celebrating a day like Columbus Day where kids still learn about Christopher Columbus and the world he discovered. Thus the idea that the kids are off in celebration of a myth (Chris didn’t make it to North America) more than the history. I am moving towards the idea that we should keep kids in school for Columbus and MLK Jr. Day so that an entire day can be devoted to what they mean to us today and what their legacy really is.

My day-specific qualms aside, I do believe that school holidays and teacher institute days should be planned a bit better. For example, there are at least two times this year where the kids have multiple 3 or 4 day weekends in the same month. Can the school district not schedule a full week off? Maybe this is where we hit the road for a fall get-a-way or hit our city’s fine museums? It’s also a lot easier on us lucky ones with vacation days to simply take the week off rather than have multiple 2-3 days weeks in a row. Then again, maybe for those who aren’t as lucky as me, taking a few extra days off is easier than a whole week - Especially if they don’t get paid days off.

My plan was to rely on our babysitter to take the kid for at least half of the day; alas life interrupted that plan with a family emergency on her end. Instead the kid is coming with me to work and her backpack filled with her homework, pencils, and crayons. And I am serious when I say that I’m lucky. I mentioned that she was coming with me at staff meeting and half the table sat up straighter and smiled. I’ll have to trust her big time though…I have to sit in on an interview for at least 30 minutes. Hmmm…maybe I’ll have to bring a DVD as well. I hate to use media as a babysitter, but sometimes you just gotta suck it up.

So my dear readers, what do you do when you have to be work and the kid is home on a holiday? Does your school or community offer safe places to leave the kids? Do you and your partner do a half-day switch?

And of course, the threat of summer vacation looms heavy on the horizon, especially after a friend said that the Jewish camp she wants to send her daughter was registering kids in a few weeks.