In preparing for my last child's kindergarten round-up, I was more than happy that it wasn't my first rodeo. Relieved that I had been through it a few other times. Thankful that I was not a nervous/ anxious/worried mom, constantly wondering, "Is my child ready for this big step? Actually, am I ready for this big step?"
I had been that mom in the past. We all have been that mom. This year, I'm one of the seasoned moms. The vets. The experts, you could say.
As Marshall and I stepped through the doors of his big siblings' elementary school, people assumed I was part of the welcome-new-parents, let-me-answer-all-of-your-questions committee. Because that's my usual gig, I just had to keep repeating myself, "Nope, this year, I'm here as a kinder mom. It's this guy's turn."
Even though I had been through kindergarten prep before, my Marshall had not. Here's where the benefits of being one of the seasoned moms comes into play. Though my son might be nervous on his own, scared of the thought of all-day school, riding the big yellow bus, eating lunch away from his mama, I'm not scared of any of it. I know from experience that my babies will be safe. They'll learn how to open a juice box while sitting at a table full of kids. They'll be exposed to germs and survive. They will make at least one friend. Their teachers will guide them and nurture them and show them hundreds of things they wouldn't see if they were home with me all day. They'll blow me away with what intrigues them, sparking their brains to develop interests outside of our family for the first time.
I know it can feel next to impossible to trust any other human beings with our babies. Our Living, Breathing Worlds. Our Perfect Everythings. I have witnessed it first hand: the fear in mamas' eyes as they drill teachers of how they would handle each and every possible scenario that might arise in a classroom. The moms exhibit signs of stress, agonizing over the notion of passing some of the control they've had over their children onto someone else, essentially a stranger.
Remember when our kids were babies, and the lactation consultants advised us that our rooting infants could sense our tension? They told us that if we could just relax, then the babies, in turn, would feel our calmness and be able to nurse? Why wouldn't that work for any stage of a child's life? If we exude confidence about something new, then our kids will feel safe in trying it. If we expose them to our heightened nerves, then their nerves will activate as well.
We have six months to make this transition from preschool mom to kindergarten mom. Part-time school to real school. It sounds like a lot of time, but doesn't it seem like your five-year-old was just in utero? In a blink of an eye, you'll be shopping for a backpack that is bigger than she is, choosing the perfect pair of shoes for the first day of school, and smothering her with smooches to last an entire day.
Are you ready to ready your child for kindergarten? I'm not talking about practicing letters and numbers and how to hold scissors. I mean are you ready to let her go into that building without you? Are you ready to pump up this experience in a positive way? Are you ready to treat it like one of the expert moms would? A seasoned mom? A veteran?
Talk about your anxiety and fears when the kids aren't around. They're real. They are legitimate, but they will pass. I know you can do this! Then, once the big day comes, and our kids are really out of sight, we can all cry into our mochas.
I'd love for you to find me on Facebook:
Ahhh, yes. My baby is going to Kindergarten in the fall. I'm not too nervous about it, but it's just a reminder that he's growing up...too fast. I love it though. I love the way they learn, the way they change, their imaginations. Kids growing up is bittersweet.
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