I’m sitting here, reading all of the social media posts from parents (including my sister) who have been choking back tears, watching their little ones begin their first day of school.
Forgive me, people, but I’m cracking up over here. Why? Because I know that in 7 or 8 years, these same parents be watching the calendar all summer long, praying for the day when they can kick these little monsters out of the house.
But hey, I understand. That first time is special. When you consider that this child has been home with mom (and dad) since birth – learning to speak, spell, add, walk, tie their own shoes and hopefully go to the bathroom when the time comes. It’s hard to let go of your baby.
We literally mold the clay that is to become the student, the teen, and eventually the adult that will someday choose the retirement home that they send us off to. Ain’t that comforting? But don’t worry about that. For now, we mourn the loss of the little tike that we’ve been so eager to see enter his first days of formal education while learning to function among a host of strangers their own age.
If we’re lucky, we’ll live in the same city for the duration of their school years, so they can go back their senior year to take another picture with their kindergarten teacher, 12 years later. My two youngest were able to do that.
Sadly, my job and relocation have made that impossible for the first two.
Another thing I find funny is that those who are returning to school have been healthy, all summer long. They’re the first ones up in the morning to get on their video games (my generation went outside) and the last to go to sleep at night.
Think about that every time they whine about being too sick to go to school as the year progresses. But while we’re on the subject, that’s one thing I will never miss. I can’t tell you how angry I used to get, yearly, when my kids brought home the latest and greatest flu virus, causing me to spend a week or two on my death bed. Believe it or not, since my youngest graduated from high school in 2018, I haven’t been sick with the flu ONCE! NOT A SINGLE TIME! Twenty-five consecutive years with the flu between four boys and then nothing. Nada. Zip.
- I don’t miss the purchasing of school supplies.
- I don’t miss having to take them to school because they missed their bus.
- I don’t miss the calls to pick them UP from school because they missed their bus.
- I don’t miss the last-minute, “due tomorrow” requests to put together a school project, when they’ve known about it for two months, causing me to run to Wal-Mart for cardboard and props.
- I don’t miss the Parent-Teacher conferences where I learn that one of my boys was dancing on his desk.
- I don’t miss Snow Day (unless it was a Level 3 emergency, forcing me to stay home as well).
But I DO miss my boys being boys. I miss talking about school at dinner time. And I miss seeing them in the school choir. And I miss having 300 kids over for a sleepover.
And it REALLY pays off on that final day…
Some bad. A lot, good.
I guess it all comes out in the wash…
…as long as we’re not talking about school clothes.
Enjoy this time, my friends. It’s one of the most beautiful experiences you’ll ever know.
School is back in session.
Like what you read? Have something to share about your school experience with your child? Leave a comment in the section below. And if you haven’t already, sign up at the bottom for email notification of future posts from Kenny’s Camera, Cooking & Crazy Confessions at ZootsBlogSpot!
Kenny's Camera, Cooking & Crazy Confessions! 
I don’t know how I feel about it. 2 years ago I graduated from school and was lucky enough to get pictures with some of my first teachers. It was nice to being able to do that.
Since then I have been to school 2 times for administration work. But other than that I don’t feel the need to see them again. They held a ceremony last month where alumni students were invited. I could not attend unfortunately due to bad weather but I didn’t feel bad about it.
Very different emotions.
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I understand that it’s different for everyone. I grew up with my classmates and graduated with the same people. We became one huge family and graduation was as painful as it was beautiful because it had all come to an end. Unfortunately, they tore our high school down to merge it with the rival high school, creating one large one.
Still, my message in this post was designed for the parents. As we both know, it’s a different scenario for them, having to watch their babies take their first major steps into independence. It’s a big deal for them psychologically, as you will see when you send your own off to school. I can’t wait to hear how you feel about it when you reach that day.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting!
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I remember those days, but my boys didn’t dance on their desk. One never did his homework but still passed his tests, while my youngest decided he wanted to throw those snap-pop on the floor so they can pop in school, causing a day suspension and he was in grade school lol. Oh the memories 🤣🤣
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Thankfully, my none of my sons actually danced on anyone’s desk. But one did dance in class and had to be corrected by his teacher.
I used to irritate my father because my sister had to study like her life depended on it to get the good grades she received. I, on the other hand, never brought homework home and got similar grades. Although he was pleased with the outcome, he didn’t care for my approach. Of course, that came back on me when I got to college. And college was a breeze for her. See how it all comes ’round? lol
Thanks so much for reading!
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