Outside, enjoying the sunshine, or inside, enjoying the air conditioning - there is no denying that this is finally summer. I can now freely spend my so-called off time how I please and not how the government dictates that I must. I've worked on a few local independent films, taken a summer teen class at the Seattle Film Institute, picked up a couple new sewing projects, traveled, and of course hung out with my friends. However, as I was perusing though my family's mail, what do I find? (Suspenseful silence please) "Back to School" sales!

My immediate reaction was to wave all manner of warding hand symbols at the offending mail while yelling, "Back, back you overzealous marketeers. It is only August!"

I do not want to hear even the smallest squeak about school until the second I have to step into that abyss of smelly white-board marker, pencils, and wasted paper. Besides, early back to school shopping is pointless anyway. No matter what you purchase in preparation for the first day, each teacher always has his or her own list of required materials, for which you must then go shopping for all over again. All you need day one is a pencil and lunch.

I don't mind talking about colleges - that has to be done - or conversing about possible teachers, courses, and the fun stuff. But the moment I hear about actually returning to the monotonous routine of early mornings and long, dreary study days and nights, I don't just retreat I run for cover.

I've never liked being confined to a schedule that without fail leaves me drained and stressed, but I have noticed that my friends' opinion on the topic has been subject to changing as we all age. Before reaching high school, most of my friends were always eager to return to school, bored with the comparative isolation that was summer. Now that we can all either drive or bus from place to place we are no longer confined to our lonely houses or completely dependent upon our parents.

Recently, I was conversing with a man who was working on a movie set with me about the prospect of year-round schools. He argued that since we are no longer an agricultural society, there is no need for the long summer break, which only encourages delinquent behavior among teens with nowhere to go. I suppose all of that is true, and it would relieve the seemingly perpetual youth boredom to try a scenario like that. However, school districts don't always align with each other so it would be impossible for extended camps (such as the four-week Chinese camp I attended in Minnesota) to continue running. Extended family vacations would also be nigh impossible to plan without the children having to miss school. And delinquent young adults, if determined enough, tend to do what they want regardless of whether or not school is in session.

Therefore it would seem that we are stuck with summer, which is just fine with me. If anyone isn't enjoying their summer, they should get up, get out, and find something new to do. In the meantime, everyone else, get your grubby, grown-up paws off of our summer! We all know that school will start in the fall regardless whether or not there are $.99 pencils, $9.98 backpacks, and $2 three-ring binders.

Parents are you listening? Give your kids some room to be themselves and do what they want this summer. Don't be in such a hurry to push us all back into the school buildings. Childhood only comes once a lifetime, and summer once a year. Those with younger children make time for family things like hiking or picnics or encourage a get together between them and their friends. Those with older kids try to, as my dad puts it, "corral" them by giving fair guidelines, but don't overdue it. Be flexible, and don't always insist that your kid(s) has to do this or that instead of going out with friends. That's what summer is all about.

Kyra-lin Hom writes regularly in these newspapers and can be reached at kl_hom@yahoo.com