(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.) It's back! Summer that is. School is out, cottages are open, beaches are getting jammed, and everyone is happy! I am thrilled that I will not have to say, "Okay guys, time to hit the sack, you have to get up for school tomorrow."

And even happier that I won't have to keep repeating, "Five more minutes and it's time to get up."

Waffles for one kid, and scrambled eggs for the other. I am tickled pink that my kids have completed another school year, and now they can kick back. They've earned their time off. No one has more respect for our teachers, and the education system, but I hated school when I went, and I still hate it now, only in a different way.

Not all teachers are in it to help the kids unfortunately. I dread arguing with my kids to go to bed and to get up. Making healthy snacks is a pain in the neck, and trying to keep track of how much money I owe the lunch lady is a hassle. It seems all I ever do is give them money and all I ever hear is, "Dad, the lunch lady says I owe $16."

Meanwhile she is driving a brand new Lexus! (Just kidding.)

My boys are performing with the Sunsetters this year (don't worry, they had to audition just like everyone else). But aside from doing shows four nights a week for seven weeks, I don't expect they will do much more, and that's fine with me. We will go up to our little camper when they want, but this is their time.

Once again I turned to the pages of Facebook to collect some Somer-time memories of days gone by, and here they are.

Hijacking a shopping cart and removing the larger back wheels to make go carts and buggies was a yearly event.

Hoodsies were given out on the fourth of July at all the parks in the city. The "Whip" truck used to come around and you would ride that wheezing, rusting, hunk of junk while inhaling the noxious fumes from the trucks engine. I understand that there was also a small Ferris wheel attached to a truck also. Make sure to keep an eye on that leaky hydraulic hose!

There were various ice cream trucks and pizza trucks that roamed the city. Remember Mr. Softee with that creepy looking human ice cream cone figure with the bow tie and weird grin? Can you say nightmare?

Lots of kids had fun making "gimp" necklaces at parks like Palmacci. People could sit on their front porches or go up Prospect Hill Tower to watch the fireworks from Boston.

Burning Brillo pads was a cheap yet fun way of celebrating the 4th if you didn't have any sparklers. (Jimmy Hardy and Dennis Ciampa, we will never forget you.)

Playing stick ball all day at the Cummings School yard, cooling off in the wading pool at Craigie Park, and hunting pollywogs and bugs down the tracks were Somer-time activities.

You haven't lived if you never ate the rhubarb that grew along the railroad tracks (now, of course, it's the "la di dah" bike trail.)

We played dodge ball, 1-2-3, red light, buck-buck and relievio until we heard Dad's whistle or the street lights came on.

Whatever happened to streets full of kids? My street used to be jam-packed with at least three kids from each family. What's the matter, no one having kids anymore?

Get your money out of T-bills and stocks, hock that Land Rover , and have some kids for crying out loud!

Hall Avenue was a two way then, and we still spent 90 percent of the time in the middle of the street. Today with all the nuts on the roads, it's a good thing the kids aren't in the streets. God forbid drivers put down their precious Blackberry's and concentrate on safe driving.

As we begin another summer in Somerville, here is a thought. Let your kids be kids. Remember when you were in school? It was no picnic, so let them enjoy themselves now that they have been sprung. They will be gone soon, and we will miss seeing them sitting like lazy lumps in front of the computer and the TV. I for one, want my kids to be kids as long as possible, so I say school's out, let the fun begin!
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