back to school

This article appears in the September 2014 issue of Parent News.

Earlier this evening I logged into a blog I was writing several years back, but long since abandoned. I’ve always been a little cautious about sharing my family with the world online. So in that fashion, the blog was private and had just a short list of approved readers. My, have times changed. Well somewhat, at least. Here I am telling you nice people this story. But we’re friends, right?

So on this blog were literally hundreds of pictures of my family from about 2006 to 2009. During that time, my little one went off to preschool for the first time and her older sister started kindergarten. In entry after entry I talked about how emotional it was for me to see them grow up and how big they were getting. The words brought back vivid memories of those days.

I cried when I dropped off the kindergartener. Luckily, her classroom’s windows were on the side of the building so I could peek in and see that she quickly got to work on a puzzle. Just between us, I kept that ritual for the entire year. I’d take her into the school’s front door then scurry around to see her walk in, tuck her lunch away, and give me a sly little wave. It was only half-way through the year did I learn her teacher, whom we still consider part of our family today, spied me there, as well. What can I say other than I was busted!

As I scrolled through post after post tonight, I saw my girls grow up right before my eyes. Last May that kindergartener graduated from 5^th grade and I have to do this “she’s going to a new, big school” thing all over again. I thought I’d be better prepared. Experience has taught me that she’ll be fine. But deep in my heart of hearts, I feel like she’s too young. How did we get here so fast? I swear that first day of kindergarten was like thirty seconds ago. It can’t be possible that six years have passed – but it is and they have. There is no more huge backpack that looks like it’s part of a moon suit and the Mary Jane shoes are long gone.

Tonight’s little journey down memory lane made me realize something. At any given moment, we think our kids are so big. And of course we do. Each day they’re standing at the beginning of something new. They’ve grown up to that point. Our eyes are mostly focused forward. What’s next? It’s only when you have a little perspective do you see just how little they were at that milestone. I’ve been reminded to be here and in the now. The next seven years are going to wiz by me like the previous six and I’ll be looking at pictures of my daughter’s first day of middle school reminiscing over how little she was on her first steps towards becoming a young lady. For now, and especially when I get frustrated or impatient, I’m going to remind myself of my abandoned blog. While school years can sometimes feel like they’re dragging on, time flies.

May this school year bring your little ones teachers who are eager and willing to embrace them, academic growth, friends, fun, safety, good health, curiosity, and the desire to dig deeper.

Photo credit: Flickr

Want to read more? Check out the latest on the Myrtle Beach for Families blog.