While most kids were squeezing in one last pool day or perfecting their end-of-summer tan, I was clocking out of my shift at the family store. That’s right — while my friends spent their summer breaks lifeguarding or flipping burgers, I was mastering the art of organizing shelves and unpacking endless deliveries. Forget campfires and s’mores; I had the distinct aroma of cardboard boxes and dust to keep me company.

It's that time of year again — the leaves are changing, the backpacks are packed, and Catholic school kids everywhere are dusting off their plaid skirts and clip-on ties. While the rest of the world is bracing for the chaos of school supply aisles, Catholic school families have their own unique back-to-school checklist:

Labor Day: that magical Monday when Americans everywhere fire up the grill, slap on sunscreen, and ceremoniously wave goodbye to summer. For kids, it often means one last hurrah before school kicks in. But what if we made Labor Day more than hot dogs and cannonballs into the pool? What if it became a launchpad to teach our kids the value of hard work?

Ah, summer. That magical stretch of time where bedtime becomes a suggestion, popsicles become a food group, and reading... well, let's just say the only thing most kids were reading was the pool rules sign (and even then, only under duress). Now, as the scent of freshly sharpened pencils fills the air, it's time to gently coax our young ones back into the wonderful world of books.

Fear not, parents and teachers! Rebuilding that reading habit doesn't mean cracking open an encyclopedia. The right stories can reignite curiosity, tickle funny bones, and, most importantly, make kids fall in love with learning all over again. Here's a handpicked list of 13 delightful pre-K through 2nd-grade reads that will help ease the transition and spark a joy for reading.

Corn is knee-high by the Fourth of July and ready to be harvested in September in the Midwest. Our family lived in the suburbs of Chicago, but some relatives had a farm in Northern Illinois. Subsistence farmers. This type of farming primarily grows food to feed themselves and their families. They use very low-tech methods. Hey, we're talking about the 1960s: no Wi-Fi, no cell phones, no computers, and no iPods.

Weddings have always been about love, family, and at least one grandma breaking it down to the Macarena like it's 1995. But the way we say “I do” has had more costume changes than a Broadway diva — from corsets and petticoats to bell-bottoms and bedazzled veils.

When my mom retired from her job at Abbott Labs at age 70, I was fortunate to be there for the occasion. My husband and three children had just moved back to Chicago, where I grew up and where my parents still lived. I left home at seventeen to attend college and never thought I would return. My husband and I, with kids in tow, bounced between Boston, Nebraska, and everywhere in between. But it was our Nebraska home that my parents said they could no longer visit. The trek was too difficult. 

The Fourth of July is more than just a celebration filled with fireworks, barbecues, and parades. It marks the birth of American independence and serves as a reminder of the values the country was founded upon—freedom, justice, and equality. For grandparents, it presents a special opportunity to pass on these important lessons to their grandchildren in a way that is heartfelt, age-appropriate, and memorable. Engaging in conversations about freedom can help shape a child’s understanding of their country, their rights, and their responsibilities as future citizens.