With summer winding down, we’ve been spending our days trying to pack in every last bit of fun possible. We’ve been museum-ing, amusement park-ing and doing our best not to yell-ing. Some days have been better than others.
Lesson #1: Having your husband leave town and your coffee maker break is a bad combination on a Monday morning.
Lesson #2: If the Incredibles or King Julian taught school, my kids would totally be in GATE.
Lesson #3: The only thing as funny as watching your kids at an amusement park is watching all the other parents watch their kids—on the teeny tiny screen of a camera/video recorder lens.
Lesson #4: Just in case you’re looking for the inside scoop on Gilroy Gardens, I’ll share what I discovered. Yes, some parents dress their kids for an outing without checking the weather and assume it’s going to be hot, only to find out it’s actually cold and raining. Yes, some parents buy their kids $10 worth of cotton candy and proceed to eat half of it themselves. Yes, some parents give their screaming 2-year old a pacifier so their 5-year old can enjoy one more ride on his last day of innocence before being thrust into big kidship. Yes, some parents actually do buy those ridiculous pizza hats. And, yes, some parents do almost all of the above. (I mean come on, a pizza hat?)
Lesson #5: Knowing my first baby will officially be a kindergartener tomorrow breaks my heart just a little bit.
Good luck to all of you sending your babies (of all ages) off to school this week. Here’s to new beginnings! (And kleenex.)
My big boy starts Kindergarten tomorrow as well. He is ecstatic and I am a mess. I swear that I blinked and my baby became a boy! Good luck to Big and to you tomorrow! Let’s compare notes afterwards! My goals for tomorrow are 1) to pack a lunch he will actually eat 2) not cry at drop off, and 3) not show up 2.5 hours before pickup because I miss him so much! 🙂
Wow, Sam. You’re setting the bar way too high for me. I’ve got the lunch thing figured out, but the rest is very, very unlikely. Looking forward to hearing your first-day stories! Good luck!
This post is like a trip down memory lane times 4…so sweet! And, the stories that Big is going to bring home to share with you, I’m certain will be in your future posts…looking forward to ALL of them!
Oh yes, there will surely be stories. And I hope you’ll chime in and share your memories along the way too. I love it!
I will join you tomorrow with tissue in hand! It doesn’t matter what grade they are entering but each year I get more and more proud of who they are and all they will try to do/accomplish/learn that year!
No doubt this year will be full of school adventures and our boys will have so much fun sharing some of them together again!
RE: #5…So many I know going off to college this week, when it seems like yesterday that my now 22.5 yr old started Kindergarten. This time of year surely brings on the tears and though both of my boys are grown, I’ll still sniff sniff a little for others in memory of all of their school transitions. I know Big is so excited for tomorrow right down to his morning snack and lunch. I confess that I’ll grab the tissue at some point just thinking about how you are feeling with this great life transition. I know Big will have a fantastic first day, and as his neighbor, I look forward to hearing ALL about it!!
If popcorn can get him through this transition, popcorn it is! He’s handling this change with far more maturity than I am…when did the tables turn? He’s sound asleep and I’m a nervous wreck. We so appreciate you being there to make it all a bit easier!
Please allow me to share some of my favorite first day of school traditions. I hope you don’t mind my using your wonderful “5 things” format.
#1. Take pictures in front of the same little tree planted when the child was born every year. And yes, you must include a close up head shot and a full length body shot. And if that little “baby” has siblings, they must be included. They want to be just like Big and look forward to having their own close ups!
#2. Place a special secret note on the lunch napkin. And even if they cannot read yet, they figure it out that they must ask a grown up to read it to them. It reminds them you are right by their side.
#3. After drop off, shate a cup of tea and scone with a favorite girl friend. And don’t forget a little garbage bag for all that used tissue!
#4. Take a day off of work, enjoy a quiet reflection and walk in the park and lunch at a place by all by yourself where you would never take the kids. Enjoy your own company and thoughts. This means no housework and yes, you have to hire a babysitter. This is your gift to you for all you have done to get to this day.
#5. After pick up, everyone gets their own chocolate milk shake as you all talk about the beauty of new beginnings, expectations and excitement of all that will follow in the next school year.
This year my son’s first day of school was in Phoenix, AZ. I asked him to have someone take a picture for me, but I’m afraid it didn’t happen. But I can report that I did take myself out for lunch and called him while sipping a shake. This time however, I did not cry. This time I was filled with pride and joy. For I cried like a crazy Mom about 13 years ago on the first day of Kindergarten because he was growing up. This year I relished the idea of all of those firsts and that the entire goal was to watch him move on to become a man of his own being. This year he took that step with me in his heart, but on his own.
Melinda
Aww, I love everything about this. Thanks so much for sharing! So far our tradition is for mom to cry and go home and do laundry. I like yours better!
It’s never too late to start a tradition. Maybe it could be on the second day because you’ve both realized you can suvive!
How precious these days are and how precious the memories will be in the years to come. My special memory is of two beautiful little girls and an adorable little boy all posing for pictures on their first day of kindergarten – OMG 30 years ago!! So proud of the people they have become. XO
It’s really crazy for me to think back and realize that I was in NJ for my first day of school. I have such great memories of the friends, but not many of school. Thanks for helping bring some of them back to me! Sending love to your granddaughter…isn’t she starting Kindergarten too?