Our Viewpoint

Last week, we asked “Are you ready for school to start?” in our Question of the Week. With the long days of summer, most kids aren't quite ready to say goodbye to lazy mornings with days full of free time.

But most of the parents we've talked to are ready to get back to consistent bedtimes and mornings, as well as the structure of school days. Summer days are fun and care-free, but having that everyday routine helps parents keep their lives organized, too.

Summer seems to fly by when you're older. We spoke to a couple retired teachers who have only been out on the Clark Fork River a couple times this summer, when normally they would be out a couple times a week. We don't officially think of the end of summer until Labor Day weekend and the Sanders County Fair, but the fair is less than a week away. Time to squeeze in that last camping trip and afternoon of water skiing.

Kids, enjoy these last few days of free time. And parents, good luck with bedtime and wake-up calls for the first days of school.