We working folk don't get to truly enjoy these cycles, unless we have kids or (worse?) teach, and perhaps reminiscing helps to feel a bit of that adventure...until Halloween!
School Picture Day captures our spirit at the beginning of the year, full of positivity and brilliance - hey, how long does it take 'til you can master freehand fingerpainting? -- before the reality of homework and peer pressure and responsibility set in. There are cumulative effects of public education, however.
Case in point: Preschool vs. High School
That same child, after 13 years of public education, has had only 7 hours of quality sleep the previous night and wishes most to be able to go home without her twenty pound load of textbooks at the end of the day. Her expression says "Hurry and take the blasted picture, woman! Forget the damned yellow birdy and snap the photo! I need to get my hands on some sugary, caffeinated drink before the weight of my fluffy hair takes its toll on my cranium! ack - I blinked! Fool woman - you aren't suitable for this profession and I shall see to it that you will never work in this school again!" well...something to that effect.
Thankfully, that teen is able to participate in music 'therapy' for two hours afterschool during which she will bash drum heads, crash cymbals and whack the day's worries away. *bam bam bam*
^_^ And people think drummers are a little tetched...