First Day Jitters

I took the tags off the backpack and sharpened every pencil.  The new Spiderman lunch box is in the refrigerator ready to go.   The clothes are all laid out in a neat pile – beige shorts, horse shirt, Angry Birds underwear, white socks.  The folder is labeled with your name and inside is an envelope for your teacher with all sorts of papers:  medical form, bus note, dismissal card…

I have experienced the first day before and I know how exciting it is:  We call it fall but the summer sun is still shining bright.  The markers all have that sharp point, far from being dulled or dried out.  Everyone has fresh haircuts, new clothes, sneakers that have yet to be scuffed, and notebooks that have not yet been written in.

And even though I have experienced first days before, I have never experienced it quite like this.  I have seen hundreds of anxious children entering the school, but I have never put an anxious child on the bus and held back the tears.

You are so excited, and I am excited for you.

You are so proud of yourself, and I am so proud of you.

You are a little nervous, and I am nervous for you.

If you don’t know where to go, ask a grown up who works at the school.

If you have to use the bathroom, don’t wait till the last minute.

If your teacher interrupts your extremely long story, don’t give her the “super angry” face.

Remember when you were pretending to fart on your brother’s head?  Yeah…..Don’t do that at school. 

But most importantly…just be kind.

Just be kind, even when the other kids are being jerks.

Just be kind, and you will attract kind people.

If another child looks left out, just be kind and join him.

Just be kind.

Remember when we took a walk last week and you stopped to fix the neighbors garbage pails that fell down in the wind…..that’s the kind of kind.

Remember when you asked me if you could share your snack with the little girl at the park….that’s the kind of kind.

Remember when your brother was crying today, so you handed him his favorite book and kissed him on the head…..that’s the kind of kind.

I wish I could stop the clock, but as my hairs are starting to turn gray, you are off and running on to new adventures every day, so I just have to follow and hope to keep up. 

But even on days when you give me the “super angry” face, I will still have a lump in my throat at the idea of sending you off on the big yellow bus, because no matter what, Mommy loves you.