Labor Day

It used to be a part of our lives that school (K-12) began after Labor Day. This was a common experience no matter where you grew up in these United States.


Now it is the norm for school (K-12) to start before Labor Day in order to allow for Snow Days and for Religious holidays which fall in early September. There is nothing wrong with this change as it's just a sign of the times.

The last days of August and those before Labor Day were always times of great confusion. We knew we would be seeing our friends soon on the first day of school, though we didn't have the communications networks that we have now. To pick up a phone was a moment, for both boys and girls, filled with great trepidation. We usually just waited the days out and enjoyed the quiet in our neighborhood. An occasional BBQ with friends of the family was always on the schedule, though it felt like a stopgap and the real action began with the start of the new school year.

Kids today start (K-12) ((not to mention College)) before Labor Day and then have a break which I cannot fathom. To me, it only increases their anxiety, as there is another gap in the schedule. To reduce anxiety it might be better to keep the old way of opening school. We had snow days and religious holidays to account for in my day, but we had greater continuity and a timetable which allowed for the re-establishment of face-to-face friendships. Maybe this all doesn't matter in age where communication is omnipresent. This is just my 2 cents.