Spring Neurosis Season Hits Early

A recent report on our local news station stated "Allergy season hits early," asserting that due to the mild winter, allergy season started earlier than usual in the Boise area and, due to the wet March, it will probably be long and strong.

So spring has sprung. Here are some of the things I love about spring:
1) Warmer weather despite some windy and rainy days
2) Only two months left of school signifying the light at the end of the tunnel
3) Going for a run outdoors without wearing Under Armour
4) Planting flowers and playing with my compost pile (That's not nearly as disgusting as it sounds, I promise.)

Along with the positive aspects of spring comes, not only allergy season, but something I like to call Spring Neurosis Season.

I know Spring Neurosis Season is just around the corner when my husband, Dan, starts talking about mowing the lawn.

"I guess I'll have to mow the lawn soon," he says with a sigh. "I wonder if I'll have to bag or not. It takes a lot longer to bag. I hope I don't have to bag. Maybe I won't bag."

About a week later, Dan mows the lawn, and I know Spring Neurosis Season has officially begun.

This year, Spring Neurosis Season brought me a plugged up ear, two migraines complete with acid-trip-like visual auras, and a few night terrors, more disturbing for my husband than for me. I usually sleep through them.

I have also had a few "Loss-of-Control" dreams. These dreams recur occasionally throughout the school year and consist of me standing in front of a chaotic Kindergarten or 6th grade class that is refusing to listen. In order to get the classes' attention, I launch into a tantrum that makes a two-year-old look mature, lots of eraser and SMART Board pen-throwing. Sometimes I even drop into a prostrate position and bang my fists on the ground. It doesn't work. Nobody pays attention. (Please don't turn me in. I've never actually behaved this way in front of a class in my ten years of teaching.)

My Spring Neurosis symptoms take a lot out of me. From January through March, I gave up my preps and lunches to prepare students for festivals and programs. I started evening rehearsals for The King and I. But I had plenty of energy. Now that all of my festivals and programs are over and my preps and lunchtimes are restored, I find myself exhausted.

This Spring Neurosis phenomenon doesn't just affect me. The kids at school are acting crazy too. And like allergy season, it seems a little earlier than usual. Typically, the kids wait until after the ISATs (Idaho's standardized tests that cause students, parents, and teachers many sleepless nights) to completely break down. Already though, many of my students have melted down, come to school in tears, and acted aggressively toward children and teachers. And our ISATs just started on Friday. Yes, my forecast says it's going to be a long Spring Neurosis Season.

Next week, we're playing instruments in music class. Am I nuts or what?

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