Mariposa Kisses (aka Dianne's Blog)

The first day of school is one of mixed emotions. I feel enthusiastic to return to the traditional schedule while my son is excited to see some old buddies. At the same time, we're both feeling a bit apprehensive. My son is a bit nervous about meeting up with some of the bullies he's heard about from last year. I'm a bit worried that he'll end up sitting next to one of them (though I won't let him know that). How do we respond?

We handle the first day just like everyone else. We get up early. We do our best to operate on less sleep than we would have preferred. We walk to the new classroom and then I say goodbye. I acknowledge that in no time, we'll be back into the swing of things where the routine will feel normal again. But for now I'm still not sure what to do with my feelings. As I leave the gate behind me, I feel unsettled.

I wish the drop-off had gone better. I'm elated that my son's best friend made it into the same class but am frustrated that a hostile acquaintance's kid did as well. I'm glad my son is at such a great school, but I miss his old teacher and am not sure what this new one will be like. I wish I hadn't arrived a few minutes late because I had to race out without getting the hug I'd hoped for. But I'm glad I got the adorable picture of him in his new outfit before leaving the classroom. I worry that he'll forget what his new lunch-pail looks like, but I'm relieved when I remember that I wrote his name with a permanent marker.

I flag down a good friend as I'm leaving the classroom who works at the school. I ask her if she'll check on the boys throughout the day. She says she'll get the low-down during lunchtime, which makes me feel better knowing I've got some eyes and ears there at the school. Then I run into another friend while hiking back to Botswana to retrieve my car. She expresses her stressed out feelings about the first day as well. When she tells me how worried her little guy was too, it makes me feel less concerned about my little prince.

The rest of the day falls into place. My younger children and I venture off to the park, where we meet a few other moms and their kids. Later, a good friend joins us at the park with her two kids. They play. They drink enough water to fill a small lake. We all hunt for shade from the oppressive heat. We head home for some ice cream and some expensive air conditioning. My older daughter plays with Legos while my youngest plays "waitress" with me outside on the patio. I enjoy my pretend pepperoni pizza and a coke.

During the early afternoon, the girls watch a video while I catch up on several emails. Then, I prepare their lunch and proceed to post on my blogs. In the early afternoon, we head out to get their brother. After getting him, we head to McDonald's for a treat. We return home and he and his sister play while the littlest one naps. They chat and catch up while I take care of some house-hold tasks.

Then, in the early evening, we start to cook dinner. We complete the first homework assignment of the new school year. We take baths, brush teeth, read stories, pray, and then go to bed. The next day, we start the new routine all over again. The emotions are still a bit mixed, but we're less apprehensive and feel a bit more prepared for the next day.

How was your child's first day back to school? Share some of your thoughts and stories here.

Labels: first day school, kids, parents