Just five days till the end of August.

Summer, I hardly knew ye.

I realize this is blasphemy, given that 90 percent of the moms I know are cuing up the angel choir and shouting a collective, “Hallelujah!” at the thought of that first school bell.

I can’t help it. I can’t get excited about getting up early every morning and going to bed early every night and fixing nutritious school lunches, for pity’s sake.

I’d much rather let the Princesses play video games while I snooze till nine and give them leftover popcorn and a cherry Otter Pop for lunch. I want to spend the evening with them watching old “Star Trek” episodes, not yelling, “NoyouhavetogetoutofthebathtubNOWsoyoucangetinbedontime.”

Just call me Slacker Mom. I’d be a card-carrying member of the Slacker Moms Club, but if we were diligent enough to have cards, we’d need a different name.

Slacker Moms love summer.

In summer, you can ride your bike until dusk and still have time to hear a chapter from the Percy Jackson series before bed. In the fall, by the time curfew hits, you’re lucky if you can finish dinner.

In the summer, I don’t have to nag anyone about finishing homework or spending 20 minutes practicing the piano. In the summer, the biggest decision is whether to go to the pool today or the library.

Summer is buying marshmallows and Hershey bars. Fall is going into hock for pencils and glue sticks and seeing if the raincoats still fit.

I don’t mind when fall gives way to winter. That means the holidays, and I love the holidays.

I don’t mind when winter gives way to spring. That means flowers and spring break, and I love flowers and spring break.

I never mind when spring gives way to summer. Temps in the 80s! Garden-fresh tomatoes! No school lunches to make!

But when summer gives way to fall, the year feels like it’s truly come to a close.

Sigh. Next Wednesday is Sept. 1.

Happy New Year. I guess.