A West Ashley mom is eager to send her demanding children back to school so she can get some peace and quiet. Karen Johnson’s sanity has been put to the test all summer long while her son and daughter expect everything to be taken care of for them at every moment. Now she’s unsure if she can keep it together for the remaining two weeks until school commences.

Karen’s children have been bombarding her with questions and demands since school let out in June. She hasn’t received much support from her husband Ron, who’s been working longer hours to avoid his kids’ annoying neediness. To cope with the stress, she’s been pouring glasses of wine earlier and earlier in the day.

Karen vented her frustrations about having the children at home. “They never stop needing things. ‘What are we doing today? Make me a quesadilla. Where’s my iPad? My laundry is dirty.’ Just shut up and do it yourself! And If I have to endure another episode of Wild Kratts, I’m going to blow my brains out.”

Family Therapist Joyce Dillard said the amount of hours spent together at home can create tension. “When summer lets out, parents are initially delighted to spend some extra time with their kids, but that only lasts for a few days before everyone is ready to strangle each other. It’s best to get your kids out of the house and working summer jobs early so they develop a hard work ethic. You don’t want them ending up like one of those spoiled Mt. Pleasant kids who barely graduate from Wando, fail out of college, then end up delivering pizzas and living with their parents until they’re 27.”

Karen will have a brief break from her kids when they go back to school on August 17th, only to descend into madness again when her kids have off from school for the solar eclipse the following Monday and ask her 500 questions about eclipses.