From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Like many places across the country, school starts early in Mississippi. School is officially back in session, and it’s hard to believe it’s that time of year again. Even harder to believe, my baby, Tate, just started Kindergarten.
As cliché as it sounds, where has the time gone? As I walked Tate up to the school, the last five years played over and over in my mind. I thought about all the memories of the day he was born, first smiles, first words, first steps, and now Kindergarten. My baby is starting a new chapter in his life.
For the past year or so, I’ve been concerned about Tate’s first day of Kindergarten. He is young for his grade, and my husband and I went back and forth wondering whether or not we should send him to Kindergarten or wait another year. Eventually, we decided he was ready, and registered him last spring. I still felt some anxiety hoping on his adjustment to a whole new world of independence. Of course I had some concerns when Jack started. However, this time around, I’m more anxious because it’s our last child to start this wonderful school adventure. I guess I’m a little sad that I won’t have a buddy to share my afternoons with. I am pretty confident my feelings will shift soon, but it was very hard to fight back those tears when I waved goodbye to Tate on his first day of Kindergarten.
When I picked up Jack and Tate from school, they were both talking a mile a minute about what fun their day was. Tate immediately said how cool computer lab was and he wanted to do it again the next day. Unfortunately, Tate did have one mishap. He walked into the wrong lane at pick up and the teacher raised her voice a little more than he would’ve liked and scared him. I’m thankful she did because he was crossing the lane where cars were moving. A lesson learned, and now he knows what to do while waiting in the car rider line. I’m sure there will be several other adjustments and learning of the ropes until he gets more comfortable with his new school. I’m just glad he had a smile on his face when I greeted him after a long, hot day of school.
I’m excited about this year. It’s a new milestone for me, too. One I never thought would happen so quickly. Both of my children are in elementary school. It’s bitter sweet, but I’m proud of myself for reaching this point, and proud of my boys on their triumphs – big and small- over the years. I can only imagine how I’ll be feeling when I send them off to college.