It's hard to believe that it's time to say goodbye to summer and hello to a new school year. As always, I find myself with mixed emotions. There's, of course, that tinge of sadness that all parents must feel whether they are sending their little one off to kindergarten or college -- that our babies are growing up. At the same time, my heart is filled with pride and excitement for our daughter who has now officially joined the ranks of third grade. She has a great new teacher and group of classmates who are sure to make the next nine months of learning fun.

I'm also breathing a tiny sigh of relief that I will once again have time to devote to this blog and ParentsWork.

Don't get me wrong. I've loved the days my daughter and I have spent together this summer. From cheering for our favorite contestants at the American Idols Tour concert to catapulting ourselves down water slides -- I wouldn't trade this time for anything. But knowing how many fellow moms and dads do not have the luxury of a vacation fuels my desire to get back to business.

I've often wondered how parents with limited or no paid time off manage, especially during the summer. Assuming your kids are old enough and you can afford to send them to camp, there is usually a significant gap between when these programs end and the start of school (now there's another issue for you!). Yet, according to the Bureau of Labor statistics, 22.5 million American workers do not get any paid vacation time at all. And, even those who do have to put in many years of service before they are entitled to a week or two off.

Why should American workers have to sacrifice our health and well-being for a paycheck? If our European neighbors have figured out how to give workers 4-6 weeks of paid leave each year without compromising business productivity, why can't we?

These are just some of the important questions discussed in Take Back Your Time, the official handbook of the movement by the same name. Edited by John de Graaf (who also happens to be the producer of the soon-to-be-released Motherhood Manifesto film), the book is filled with ideas on how parents can reclaim the time we need to care for ourselves, our children, and our families.

It's worth the read and doing something about (if we can find the time, of course!).