Tag - first-day-of-school

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The First Day of School — It Gets Easier
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Nothing Says Sad Like A Soggy Sandwich—First Day Of Kindergarten
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There Will Be Tears

The First Day of School — It Gets Easier

  Blogs across the cybersphere today are bursting with tales of parental pride and angst. The first day back at school brings sentimental reflection and tears—showers of maternal (and yes, some paternal) tears. I cry every single year on the first day of school. Happy tears, but also some from worry and that overwhelming sense of protectiveness and love that parents know so well. This year? No tears. Not one drop. When we got to school this morning, my son saw his friends lined up behind their new Grade five teacher and he said without a moment’s hesitation, “Bye mum!” as he ran off to join them, barely looking back. Was I sad about that? Hell no. The kid was excited to be back at school. No tears over here. In fact, I fist pumped. Then we went to find my daughter’s class. Grade two. I taught second grade for nearly a decade and I find it hard to reconcile the memories of the children I taught over the years, with the image of my seven year today. She is so different from them, yet exactly the same in many ways. My daughter’s teacher is perfect: young, energetic, gentle and[…]

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Nothing Says Sad Like A Soggy Sandwich—First Day Of Kindergarten

Parenting a child with special needs is challenging in ways I never expected. The love I feel for both my children is equal, but the fear and uncertainty around my daughter is more gut wrenching and harder to shake. I’m sure friends and family had a betting pool about the state I’d be in today. Sorry to disappoint those who put their money on Train Wreck. Turns out, this morning I was merely a titch tender.  What these gamblers didn’t know was I got most of my tears out yesterday.  What set me off was making lunches for the kids last night. As I quartered Avery’s grapes, it hit me that I wouldn’t be there to help her. I boo-hooed as I cut off her sandwich crusts and sobbed when I noticed tears had fallen on her bread. During this melt down my poor husband was doing the nervous eye dart, back and forth as if to say, “My wife has lost it. What do I do now? Anyone. Anyone??” Fortunately an intervention wasn’t necessary. By the time I’d moved on to filling the water bottles, I’d pulled it together. But then later, I read this message on Twitter: Cue more[…]

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There Will Be Tears

Avery starts school tomorrow. Full day Junior Kindergarten, three days a week. I….am a wreck.  Many kind people have reached out to tell me, “It’s ok. It gets easier. She’ll love it. You’ll be fine.” All thoughtful and well-meaning comments. And it’s true, she will love it. And she will be fine. But will I? And will it really get easier? I felt the usual pangs and sentimental sorrow on my son’s first day of Kindergarten four years ago.  But it got easier, fast. But he didn’t stand out from his peers in a blatant and painfully awkward way. I didn’t have to meet with the school to discuss emergency procedures and ambulance protocol. He didn’t have to wear a helmet at recess to protect his curly haired head from frequent falls on the unforgiving blacktop. He didn’t have his own personal Educational Assistant shadowing his every move to ensure his safety. He didn’t wear a diaper. He didn’t receive quizzical looks from his peers or other parents. He was happy. He fit in. I didn’t worry. But this is different. Now I worry. All the time. A lot. We never thought we would see this day. Avery was never[…]

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