Since the new year has been rung in and folks are starting to get back into the swing of the work week, so too are the younger members of the Greater Valley Area community getting back to school.

The return to the hallways of elementary, middle and high school institutions can be a bittersweet one, the split between feelings of happy and sad usually falling on the side of parent and child. While parents are rejoicing that they have more time in the day to finish things up and enjoy some much needed post-holiday rest and relaxation, some students are full of disdain that they are back to early wake-up calls, hours at school and, worst of all, homework.

Vacation is important for students because it gives them an opportunity not only to recharge before another semester of learning, it gives them a chunk of time to enjoy the holidays and just be a kid.

That being said, the big two vacations during summer and winter can make it hard for the learning to kick back into gear. With the taste of freedom and no-bedtime, getting corralled back into a classroom for several hours a day can be a major shock to the system.

Getting back into the work/school flow for  older folks can be jarring too, as morning and afternoon commutes are again full of things to look out for like school buses and children playing outside.

Just like the transition from 2018 to 2019, the change from vacation to the weekly grind can be a bumpy one. It’s hard to re-establish focus and get back to being productive, but it’s something that we all, young and old, have to do this time of year.

Let’s do our best to get back into a routine, jump back on that proverbial horse and keep working to make the Valley area greater.