Memorial Day musings: The end of the school year, the beginning of summer and why we celebrate this memorable day

We’re off to Arizona in a few hours to spend the long Memorial Day weekend with family. The youngest of my sister’s children just graduated from high school, and we don’t want to miss the celebration.

Aaron’s been my kids’ constant companion and a darn fine role model during many a family gathering. He’s kind, patient with his younger cousins and smart as a whip. Our schedule at home was such that we couldn’t make the graduation ceremony; the end of our school year is three weeks away.

But my kids want to share in this time with Aaron before he heads off on an extended trip to Spain and Africa with his mom and dad and then off to college in August.

I spent part of Friday at the beach doing research for a story on the best family-friendly beaches in San Diego County. Sometimes I give myself tough assignments.

While the beaches were sparsely populated compared to the crowds that will descend starting this weekend, it was clear many schools are already out for summer. There were plenty of kids on boogie boards, lots of parents and little ones building sandcastles and a fair number of Arizona license plates to be seen.

Such A Smart Mom is all about raising kids who are smart, strong and self-reliant. And if I know one thing, it’s that kids don’t stop learning over the summer - or at least they shouldn’t. So I’ve been working away on stories to help you help your child stay intellectually engaged while having fun.

For those of you who are still winding down on the school year, here are some stories that will help you on your way:

For parents of high schoolers preparing for finals, take a look at a story with some great tips to help your kids ace their exams.

I’ve also got two stories for those of you planning end-of-the-year class parties and gifts for teachers.

Here in California, the state Department of Education just released the 2008 Academic Performance Index scores for schools throughout the state. These scores are a great indicator of how well schools are educating their students. I’ve written a parents’ guide to digging deep into the scores to see how your school’s scores compares with others.

And, finally, to mark the unofficial start of summer, I’ve written a quick story with tips from the Pool Safety Council for swimming pool safety.

Have a great weekend. I hope we will all take the time to talk to our kids about the true importance of Memorial Day.