Much of the country has been “back to school” for a few weeks now. In Michigan, however, today is the Official First Day of School. My family decided to beat the back-to-school blues that typically creep in over Labor Day weekend and went on a very special Michigan adventure.

We walked across the magnificent, five-mile long, Mackinac Bridge! (Pronounced “mack-i-naw.”) It is a Michigan tradition to open the bridge one day a year, on Labor Day, to foot traffic. We were joined by 35,000 other people who were all eager to enjoy this special scene, too.

The Mackinac Bridge is a breath-taking form of architecture that connects Michigan’s two peninsulas. It was an engineering marvel as the longest suspension bridge of its time, and is still incredibly impressive today. It is built to withstand 70 mph winds and 30-foot ice floes that come pounding across the Straits of Mackinac, where the Great Lakes of Michigan and Huron meet.

Many who are from Michigan, or have visited, know there is a breath-taking moment when you drive north on I75 and suddenly see the stately towers of the bridge come into view. The view from atop the bridge, 200 feet above the Straits, is nothing short of majestic! 360-degree views of glorious blue and aqua fresh-water seas sprawl as far as the eye can see, interspersed with two massive peninsulas and seven islands.

When my daughter was 15 months-old, she had been trapped her car seat for eight long hours due to a freeway closure that added a couple extra hours to our drive. She was screaming and screeching, trying to play “Houdini” and squirm out of her car seat.

But, as we reached the bridge and gradually angled up, high above that magnificent land and water-scape, she became entranced… Her body was still. Her tears stopped. She leaned forward and stared. At her tender young age, she understood the magnificence of what was beneath her. “Wooooow! Oooooh!” she squealed in total wonderment. And, that’s the moment I knew that the Mackinac Bridge does not just have magical powers over me…it’s simply magical!

Our trek today was about eight miles, by the time we walked from our car on one end of the bridge to the shuttle stop on the other end. I won’t lie; we are tired, hot, and weary as we begin our six-hour drive home.

But, we soaked it all up and received our certificates for crossing the “World’s Greatest Bridge!” We are satisfied from our adventure…my husband and I are happy to have experienced something we’ve always wanted to do…and something our children instinctively know is special.

Meanwhile, we completed our back-to-school preparations just before the weekend. The supplies, clothes, and shoes have all been inventoried and purchased. The backpacks are by the back door and food for lunches is in the fridge.

I’m looking forward to a fresh start this year. Last year was a bit of a challenge for us. On one hand, it was a positive year because of many positive things: my son was healthier, my daughter was a year older and getting a bit “easier,” and my husband was on leave from his teaching job to provide much-needed assistance with SOAR® and the children.

But, every single one of us was in a transition. The kids were each in a new school. Brian was in a completely new role as the “family manager.” I was in a new role as the primary bread-winner…and having to relinquish my tight-gripped control of our day-to-day routines. (That’s not easy for my type-A self.)

These transitions meant that we had some disastrous times with school and homework! Let me tell you, it is no fun being a “homework and study skills expert” and having to explain to your child’s teachers that you dropped the ball. Yes, my children need to take responsibility for their work, but we were ALL having trouble keeping track of things.

It wasn’t always graceful, but the good news is that we figured everything out. Ironically, it required a perspective much like that from the Mackinac Bridge…to pull myself above my day-to-day reality in which I am immersed. Sometimes, the frustrations got the best of me, but anytime I paused to ask myself, “What do I teach others to do that I am not doing, myself?” I always had an answer.

I even pulled out my own “Scorecard” a couple of times and am very pleased to say that the Scorecard led me to my own solutions. (Thank God! I couldn’t live with myself if I was a hypocrite. My mother subscribes to these newsletters, too; she wouldn’t *let* me live as a hypocrite.)

As this new school year begins, I’ve done my best to look at things from a “200-foot view” so that we can get off to a solid start. I have also reminded myself that the next “homework frustration” must be a signal to step back and reevaluate. We can always fix problems…if we are aware they are there to be fixed.

Our walk over the Magnificent Mackinac Bridge was not just an adventure to celebrate the closing of summer; it was a metaphor for the perspective that will help us have a successful school year! The architect of the Mackinac Bridge, David B. Steinman, was also a poet. He wrote a poem about his beloved bridge and I think the last two lines capture the feeling I get when I am on that bridge…

There it spans the miles of water,

Speeding millions on their way-

Bridge of vision, hope, and courage,

Portal to a brighter day.

The Mackinac Bridge stands for optimism and all that is possible! On this back-to-school eve, I feel very optimistic for this school year and for the future we are working to build for our children. I wish you and your family a wonderful school year, too!

Susan Kruger is the author of SOAR Study Skills; A Simple and Efficient System for Earning Better Grades in Less Time. Get Susan\’s FREE Guide Six Steps to Conquer the Chaos: How to Organize and Motivate Students for Success, at her website: http://studyskills.com/.

Susan Kruger is the author of SOAR Study Skills; A Simple and Efficient System for Earning Better Grades in Less Time. Get Susan\’s FREE Guide Six Steps to Conquer the Chaos: How to Organize and Motivate Students for Success, at her website: http://studyskills.com/ http://studyskills.com/.

Author Bio: Susan Kruger is the author of SOAR Study Skills; A Simple and Efficient System for Earning Better Grades in Less Time. Get Susan\’s FREE Guide Six Steps to Conquer the Chaos: How to Organize and Motivate Students for Success, at her website: http://studyskills.com/.

Category: Education
Keywords: parenting, new school year, back-to-school, summer vacation, changes, family adventure, school year