Editorial: Holidays packed with action | Wairarapa Opinion | Local Voices from Wairarapa, New Zealand

Kids are heading back to school this week after the long summer holiday.

At the shops and supermarket over the weekend the talk in the checkout queue was all about school. Are you ready for school to restart? Have you got everything you need? Have you stocked up for school lunches?

My memories of the last days of holidays, when I was still at school, is of a flurry of activity to have uniforms washed and ready to go, finding the school bag at the back of the wardrobe, hoping the lunchbox had been emptied and washed on the last day of term.

And I was always made to go to bed early the night before the first day back at school so I'd be rested and ready for the first day - holidays, of course, not being as restful as you'd expect.

Some of the children we've featured in these pages over the past two months have not been having restful holidays - they've been making rafts and trolleys, artworks and sculptures.

There are many in the community who've gone to great efforts to ensure families have plenty of options during the holidays to keep their kids entertained, safe and learning some great skills.

A school holiday report in yesterday's paper by Cailean Tearle, 11, who took part in the Masterton Safe and Healthy community programme, really said it all: "Time flies when you're having fun and I had more than just fun."

So now it's back to school for the holidayers. I wish all those heading back to class - particularly those going to school for the first time - a great start to the year. And all those who are on the roads in the mornings and afternoons: take it slowly. Little, unpredictable people with schoolbags will be everywhere.