This time of year has been one of angst for me for since I was younger than my son... who is in 4th grade. I'll be the first to totally admit that I am not good with change and the beginning of the school year is nothing but! I know there are lots of people who love the idea of the new school year but I'll love it once it becomes a more old hat. I absolutely love my son's new teacher and the school is amazing - just the stigma that I've held from elementary school all the way through college and has never been on hiatus because even before our son started school, my husband was a teacher - always symbolized change! It's the shift in schedules, the unknown, the fears of sending my baby into the clutches of evil kids who won't necessarily always be kind to him or include him -don't even get me started on approaching the age when girls are lurking around the corner ready to pounce (can I get a witness from any other moms?)... lots of different things working together to create this pressure cooker.
Waiting to find out teachers... the simmering starts
Buy supplies (all one hundred and one of them!)... a little warmer, but still simmering
Help with before school prep at the school... the pressure begins to build
Start Fall sports... the writer's cramp starts from checks and calendar adjustments
Buy school clothes... pressure builds and avoidance from online banking commences
Buy school shoes... (and discover my 'baby's' feet are bigger than mine!)
Open House... the lid starts rumbling
Lunches bought and healthy snacks thought out... heat building
Labor Day/pool closing... cool off temporarily because Tuesday is just around the corner - full blown pressure cooker!
Like I told a friend today - the ball has started rolling, I'm just ready to push it off the cliff already!
He has never shown the same overwhelming feeling (paralyzing at times) that I receive for school and I pray that he never does. He definitely gets uneasy but works himself through it and comes out just fine on the other side. I'm hoping he never 'smells the fear' - so far (miraculously) I've been able mask it... a skill that has also been a part of my life from a very young age.
For all of my fellow parents out there who may have a little trouble adjusting - take comfort in the fact that you are not alone (or a numbing libation - your choice). I'm shocked at my son's resilience every day and how adjusted he becomes so quickly...
I could learn a lot from him.
1 comment:
A good read, Steph. I know first hand how affected you've always been by the start of a new school year. I, for one, am proud of you for never letting Parker see that. I'm sure it ain't easy!
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