The Night Before First Grade

Twas’ the night before first grade and this momma’s not ready!

I am convinced this will never get easier. I thought for sure that once we got past the first day of Kindergarten my emotions would be a little more in check. But I was wrong. I almost feel that I’m having a harder time this year than last year, but I don’t know why.

Certainly part of it is the fact that she’s growing up and becoming more independent, and that’s always a hard thing to handle. I think the biggest thing, though, is wanting so badly to protect her from anything that will shake her confidence.

We’ve done all the right things to prepare – purchased the school school supplies, attended orientation,

Despite being prepared on the surface, my head is swimming with typical momma concerns and questions:

• Will she be okay getting on/off the bus from daycare to school and back?
• Should I have ordered chocolate milk instead of regular milk from the milk program?
• Should I have written her name on each individual crayon like the supply list asked?
• Will she like her teachers? Will her teachers like her? More importantly, will they give her a hug when she needs one, because my sweet girl is a sensitive one.
• Should we have worked with her more than we did this summer on reading and math? Has she forgotten everything she learned in Kindegarten?
• Is the morning snack I’m sending with her healthy enough?
• Will she remember the importance of being kind and filling other people’s buckets?
• Will someone help her open her applesauce or fruit cup if she needs it?

With tears welling in my eyes and a huge knot in my throat, I know she will be more than okay. So I will take her lead and go into her first day with excitement about the year ahead, and faith that her resilience will take her through any times that shake her confidence.

And tomorrow morning, I will take our annual “First Day of School” picture and drop her off at daycare where she’ll take the bus to school. I’ll probably cry my entire way to work as I think about how much changed these last few years. But then I’ll pick her up and she’ll tell me all about her new teacher, new friends, how she had so much fun and can’t wait to go back.

And hopefully day two will be a little bit easier.