I am always saddened at the end of summer. Goodbye to the beach, the pool, the smell of Coppertone Waterbabies sun-block. One of my all-time favorite smells in the world. I am going to miss putting the kids in the car without coats, boots, hats and mittens. I will miss the open windows during a hot summer night. The campfires in the backyard and the sounds of crickets playing their summertime melody. On top of saying goodbye to summer is the bittersweet thought of school starting. I know it will all be fine. He’s going to love kindergarten, but then there is the little thought in the back of my head, “what if he doesn’t?” This is the first step in a very long journey.
We have seasons in nature and seasons in life. Although I love summer and it is nearly over I can still look forward to fall. I love fall too. The painted landscapes of vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds. The smell of nutmeg and cinnamon throughout the house. So although something good is about to end, I can seek comfort in the fact that something wonderful will fill its place. Just because my little boy is ending a stage in his life, a new journey is about to begin for him and I need to be optimistic and believe that he’s going to LOVE it.
Coming from a mother of a very socially insecure little boy, who is reluctantly starting 2nd grade, I pray that your little one loves it!, and i really think he will. It’s amazing how as mothers, we are forced to wear our hearts on our sleeves, and send our babies out into a world that not only frightens them, but us as well. How will we know if they made it to their classroom? How will we know if they are safe? How will we know if they are ok? WIll the teacher know who to let them go home with? I know you’re already one step ahead of me, because you already know the answers to these questions that my anxiety doesn’t want to remember. Thursday will be my 3rd year sending him off, with swollen eyes while he pleads with me not to make him go, not to leave him alone. This is beyond heartbreaking for me. Not because I don’t want to let him go, but because I truly understand his fear, I remember it well and I hate that he will have to endure it. This year, his baby sister will be running into kindergarten without so much as as a look back at me in the school yard. That’s just as heartbreaking. Not because I fear she will have a hard time adjusting, but because I don’t want to let her go, she’s my baby. So, we will take a deep breath, and send our babies off into an environment we can’t control. That’s the hardest part for me, not being in control of their safety. Good Luck, I hope you get a happy medium of my 2 extremes <3