We are back in the swing of things, having enjoyed a more relaxed schedule last week during spring break.

Instead of rushing children out the front door, half dressed and clinging to a piece of toast, maybe with both shoes matching, we were able to attack the mornings with a slightly slower pace.

We had time to enjoy a cup of coffee, enjoy a conversation with the children that did not involve the phrase, “hurry up,” or “so help me God.”

But as we progressed through the week — a week without having to better understand fifth-grade mathematics — I had moments to recall some of the more memorable spring breaks of my youth.

Growing up along the Alabama Gulf Coast, spring break was not just a week — it was a season.

My friends and I — during high school — knew to the day what weeks were spring break for the respective colleges and other school systems. We knew when Alabama was on break, when Auburn was on break and when we could expect to see a few Kentucky Wildcat decals.

Even as we were in school, we would rush to hurry to finish our after-school responsibilities and then race the 20 or so miles from Robertsdale to the white, sandy beaches of Gulf Shores.

We learned early on the proper techniques of cruising up and down Beach Boulevard and the best access points to beach-side parking.

From early March through April, spring breakers filled the highways and filled the beaches, giving us plenty of evenings on the beach and plenty of weekends bumming around doing things we should probably apologize to our parents for — even today.

Now, as a parent, spring break — and just like the summer break — is looked upon as a week not necessarily for family vacations to the beach, but instead a week where our busy calendar has a few “off nights.”

It was a nice break from the normal to have a Tuesday evening with the family, not making it to this practice or this practice, this rehearsal or this meeting.

As always, I look forward to spring break — just today, the reasons are a lot different.

Tim Reeves is publisher of The Vicksburg Post. You may reach him at tim.reeves@vicksburgpost.com.