Sometimes parenthood feels like a very odd inversion of my childhood.

When I was a kid, holidays, snow days, and sick days were time off to relax, and were usually pretty fun.

But as a parent they're more work. Shoveling snow, policing cookie intake, dispensing cough syrup, de-escalating tantrums, mopping up barf. Late bedtimes. Long car rides. Virus-sharing. So much cooking. So much laundry.

In parent-times, regular school days are when I get a break. Eight hours of peace and quiet. I can finish a cup of coffee, and write a whole email without interruption. Glorious.