School Bells Are Ringing – Are You Psyched, Sad, or Conflicted?
Posted on September 2, 2009 by FoBaM-Jamie
It’s that time of year again. As the days grow shorter and Mother Nature starts to transition from her brilliant green wardrobe to a more subdued palette, other signs of change are in the air. School bus drivers are practicing their routes, kids are trading in flip-flops for squeaky new sneakers, alarm clocks are being set for earlier wake-up calls, and moms are making the rounds to find lunch boxes and notebooks. If it isn’t already underway, school is just around the corner.
This year is my daughter’s first in “real” school. Though she’s had three wonderful years at a local preschool, next week will see her stepping into a whole new life as a full-time Kindergarten student. I have mixed feelings about the momentous event. I’m both proud and terrified of how grown-up she’s become. I’m looking forward to the additional time I’ll have to “get things done,” but am already mourning the loss of our “pajama mornings” and “do-nothing” afternoons.
Still, I loved school as a child, so I’m excited to share the experience with my daughter. She’s convinced she’s going to hate it, but I have faith that she’ll come to love it. She’s a smart and social kid who may start out a little on the shy side, but will – hopefully! – thrive once she gets into the groove of the routine.
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If you’re a first-time mom like me, what worries you the most?
If you’ve got experience in this area, what advice can you share for overcoming first-day jitters? How did daily life change for you when your child started school? How do you hold onto special time with your kids?
Extremely sad!!! My daughter entered Elementary school for the first time Monday, and didn’t even look back at me!! I just stood there in her classroom one second away from a nervous breakdown, and she just took off and went and started talking to another child. *Sighs*
I’m a teacher, so the return of school means I return to work and my daughter returns to daycare. Here is the letter I wrote her on the last day of summer this year. She’s only two, so she can’t read it yet. But it’s already become something of a tradition. She can read them when she’s older.
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Dearest Josie Bean,
Our third summer together came to an end tonight. Almost every morning this summer, it has gone like this: You’d come into me and Daddy’s room around 7:30 a.m. and cheerfully say, “Good morning!” After some hugs and cuddles, you’d say, “I want some milk.” So, I’d get you some. Then you’d climb into bed with us and we’d all go back to sleep for at least an hour.
Tomorrow morning, I will wake you up at 6:30 a.m. You will undoubtedly still be very sleepy, but I will bring you a cup of milk and try to create as cheerful a mood as you do with your precious morning greetings. You will go pee on the big potty, because you’ve gotten so big and learned so much this summer. I will put you in your pretty little clothes. We will get in the car, but not for one of our summer adventures. This time, I will be taking you to school again, so I can go to my school and work. I will be hoping the whole way there that you don’t cry when I leave you, because my heart hurts all day when that happens. I will let you take a ziploc bag of Cheerios with you into the building in hopes that it comforts you.
There are so many things, big and small, that I have enjoyed about this summer with you, and will miss terribly. Big things like going to the beach and getting covered in sand, going to swim class twice a week, taking trips to see family, going on special adventures almost every day to a park or a lighthouse or a lake. Little things like making kitty key chains and little animals out of pompom balls. Eating snow cones, ice cream, and blueberry muffins. Putting on “sunscream.” Staying up late.
I had a lot of goals for us this summer. A big one was taking you to the aquarium in Atlanta. We succeeded in that goal, and you loved seeing all the fishes! Another was to get you completely potty trained during the day. As smart as you are, we had accomplished that by the second week of summer! The only thing I wanted to do that we didn’t get done was a trip to the Sea Turtle Center of Jekyll, and I think that can wait for a little while. You might be able to appreciate it more next year, anyway.
There are many great new traditions we have started this summer that we won’t lose just because the summer has ended. Every night, we will still feed the fish in our fish tank. I will still read two books to you every night. Daddy will still make up a story for you. I will still sing you a song.
I have had so much fun talking to you, laughing with you, and getting to know you more in these last several weeks. It is going to be so hard to be away from you for 40 or more hours every week again. I want to hear all the wonderful ideas you have and songs you sing and stories you tell. I hope you will save some for me every day.
I love you so much, Cheeky Butt.
Mama
that is so sweet you can put it in her Senior book when she is graduating from high school
I don’t think “back to school” will ever not be bittersweet? As a Mom who gets to stay home most of the summer, it’s hard to let them go. The grind isn’t much fun either….lunches, backpacks, homework, events, weekends full of running and afternoons/evenings that aren’t long enough. What helps me a “little” with the blues I’m in is knowing that we picked an amazing school for her and we’re part of a community that shares our values and hopes for the children. I don’t know if I could do it any other way. My heart goes out to all of you as the munchkins get ready to go – we started yesterday. You’re not alone and before you know we’ll be so overwhelmed with school stuff we won’t have time to mope? Maybe? Good luck!
Even though I am very active in my son’s schools and activities, and look forward to all of the busy schedules, homework reviews and packing just the right things for lunch, I am going to miss the constant time we have had together this summer. this is the first summer I have not worked and it was so great to have so much time with my boys. I am a very busy person, but it will seem ever quiet without fifty “hey mom”‘s per day from my seven year old. Even the texts will hush from my fourteen year old, as he isn’t allowed to text during class.
As much as I will miss them, I must remember that separation is good for all of us. It will help them grow into independent, self-sufficient young men, and will strengthen me as an individual and strong woman. That being said….the best part of my day will still be at 3:30 pm when it’s time to pick them up!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year….for us dads too.
I’m totally conflicted!! I have boys 13, 7 and 3 and I am a SAHM. I love not having schedules in the summer and being able to do “whatever” September brings homework, soccer, field trips, lunches Arg! But I know my kids are ready (even if they don’t want to admit it) to see old friends and learn new things. I’ll miss not having to get up at 6 AM!
We are preparing for my oldest’s 1st day of kindergarden. She is very excited and I not ready for this step. I am going to miss my baby but she is so ready for this step of growing up and she wants to take the bus. I am secretly hoping she doesn’t like the bus so I can take her to school. I have 2 other preschoolers at home that will keep my occupied while she is at school.
We are preparing for my oldest’s 1st day of kindergarden. She is very excited and I not ready for this step. I am going to miss my baby but she is so ready for this step of growing up and she wants to take the bus. I am secretly hoping she doesn’t like the bus so I can take her to school. I have 2 other preschoolers at home that will keep my occupied while she is at school.
this year is totally bittersweet, my only child my son, is a fifth grader this
year and this means starting middle school next year and i think im
more nervous about it than he is.
you get used to having your kids around all summer then all of
a sudden school starts and you have to find ways to keep
yourself busy.
I have a 4th grader (with special needs), a 2nd grader and a Pre-Ker. It doesn’t get any easier….I know intellectually, that it is my job to ‘work my way out of a job’, but that doesn’t mean that I miss the time with my ‘olders’.
We try to do a ‘movie night’ once a month, complete with pizza, movies, etc. We also do pajama days (on school days off). I still try to spend at least a little time each day with each of them (some days it’s more challenging).
Most of all, I just try to take it one day at a time, enjoy those little moments and just try to capture it all (I realized this morning on the first day of school, I have few pics of the first day of my middle son because my oldest wouldn’t let me do it). I am far from perfect, but try not to beat myself up.
Back to school was difficult this year. My oldest graduated from High School in May and doesn’t plan on attending college till spring. My middle son started High School and the Baby started Junior High(both a different school). It is very strange. We spent 14 years at the grade school between the three of them. It was the first year someone didn’t get dropped off at school. I was worried someone would miss the bus,get on the wrong bus, not get to class on time, or not be able to get their locker open. I of course worried alot more than they did. It’s hard to realize that in four short years another child will leave the house and in seven short years they will all be off to college or living their lives. Although will still have sports and open house we will no longer have four teacher confresses a year, school parties, parent/child school dances. Now we have dating, 16 different teachers, foriegn languages and math I need a tutor to help them with.
The time goes by quickly so enjoy all the little things they get to do in grade school. I’m excited to see my children growing and starting to find their path in life I just wish they still wanted to take a nap with mom like they did in Kindergarden.
I think we’re all ready to get back to the routine of school, but I’m glad I’ll still have our youngest around to have lunch with every day.
You have to remember that these little people are just that, people. They are on their own life path with their own experiences that will shape them. It is sad to see the swift passage of time. But when they grow in independence and “don’t look back for you”, it means you’ve done well. It means they’re happy, safe, content and confident in their new adventure. It’s awesome! But yeah, you do miss your littls baby.