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A long holiday weekend is exactly what I need to regroup. The new school year is well under way, but the kids are not the only ones readjusting to the routine. I have been trying to get it together since the first bell rang.

My biggest hurdle this year was the morning drop-off schedule. Hubby takes our youngest to the elementary school because that's where he works. But I must drop off our other two boys. Last year it was one easy stop. They were both in middle school.

This year, the schedule changed. My oldest is a freshman. Leaving the house on time was relatively easy to master. Figuring out the best route from the middle school to the high school took only a few days.

However, no one ever mentioned to me that dropping off one's oldest child for their first day of high school is every bit as emotional, and requires at least the same amount of tissues, as dropping off that same child on the first day of kindergarten nine years before.

I was not prepared for the tears. Thankfully, ever since the boys were runny-nosed toddlers, I've always made it a point to keep a box of tissues in my car. I am also extremely grateful my oldest child was already out of the car and had disappeared into the sea of shockingly adult-looking kids, before my eyes filled and drops fell in my lap. This year is clearly one of those "emotional readjustment" years -- clearly I'll be a basket case when college rolls around.

I was especially looking forward to this year because, thanks to my career change, I will be able to stop by the elementary school more often to eat lunch with my youngest son. However, when I mentioned this exciting news to my fourth-grader, I was immediately made aware of some new rules.

Now that my youngest has begun his second to last year of elementary school, he made it clear to me that if I do make an appearance at school, I am not allowed to kiss him.

Other rules:

--No hugging.

--No hand-holding.

--No storytelling (about him).

--No being silly in front of his friends.

--No embarrassing him in any way.

I read every school rule in the packets my children brought home on the first day, but somehow I missed the section about how a fourth-grader's mother must act while on campus. Another readjustment -- I'm going to miss the big grins followed by warm hugs when I arrive at the elementary school.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly with my middle child. He began football practice before school started. He started reminding me that he needed new shoes and new cleats three weeks ahead of time. He picked out and neatly arranged all his school supplies so he would be prepared for his classes.

Then, on the very first day of school, he called me. No, he didn't miss me. No, his after-school practice schedule hadn't changed. He simply forgot his instrument.

My middle child is Mr. Responsibility. His one weakness, which I completely forgot about until my cell phone rang, is that he tends to forget things in the morning. I thought I was going to be readjusting to a quiet house. Instead, I'm once again dropping off forgotten school necessities between meetings and deadlines.

Making lunches is another readjustment. The first couple of days, my children had to eat mush for lunch. Finally, one child bravely mentioned that jelly was seeping through the bread. When one throws a peanut butter and jelly sandwich together at noon knowing it will be consumed within 30 seconds, one doesn't have to worry about jelly seepage.

When making a sandwich that must be stuffed in a backpack, thrown in a locker, and retrieved hours later, both pieces of bread must be adequately peanut-buttered. I'm still trying to get the ratios correct.

Once everyone is settled for the day in his designated school with supplies, squashed lunches and instruments, I am supposed to be able to settle in and get some work accomplished before they arrive home.

But one more readjustment issue must be addressed. As soon as I am ready to rock 'n' roll with my computer booted and my task list posted, the cat starts meowing because he wants more food. Then the dog gets up and barks because she wants to go out. Then the other cat jumps in my lap and brushes against my coffee cup, nearly turning it over on my desk.

Once I readjust to the pets readjusting to the kids being gone all day, things will be just great.

Micki Bare is a columnist for the Arkansas News Bureau and the Courier-Tribune in Asheboro, N.C., and author of the book, "Relative Expressions." She lives in Asheboro with her husband and three children. Her e-mail address is mickibare@earthlink.net.