7QT: Kidergarten

1. I read on another mom's blog recently that she hates sending her kids to school all day, even though she knows that it's the right thing. It totally resonated with me. I know, without a doubt, that school is the right choice for my particular kid, for our particular family, at this particular time. But it kills me to not see him all day! If I could install a nanny cam in his classroom and stare at him on a monitor all day, I would. Ah, letting go.

2. Surprisingly, one of the most stressful parts of the transition for me is lunch. What the heck do I pack in my child's lunch?!?! I've never been super creative in the lunch department, so of course that wasn't going to change, but I can't bring myself to pack him a PB&J every single day...yet. I'm sure I'll get there though. I have no imagination.

3. Choosing traditional school over homeschooling was so hard for me. I've had a very clear image in my head, especially this whole past year, of how wonderful homeschooling would be, and I definitely had a strong desire to do it. But I feel at peace with the decision we made. One of the things I keep reminding myself is that we can STILL DO the things that are important to us with our kids. If something is a priority to me, I can make it happen. No one says I still can't teach him the things that are important to me, or read him books out loud, or any of the other things we love to do. And that's good.

4. Today I did my first volunteer duty as a mom of a school aged kid: recess/lunch duty. With a 3.5 year old and a 1.5 year old in tow. And I tell you what...it was just as tiring as it sounds. The supervising recess and lunch part was easy...the chasing after the toddler, where I ended up looking like a sweaty buffoon part was not so enjoyable. He will not be caged! But it was worth it to see how excited my big Kindergartner was to see us there, so I know I will be going back to do it all over again, naps be darned. #sucker

5. There really is this unseen, all in my mind, pressure to make sure I am doing all the things, and volunteering a lot, and getting involved. Those things are definitely good, but I have to keep reminding myself: it's okay for him to not play soccer this year so we can protect some of our family time. He's five. I have no obligation to kill myself being the best ever volunteer. Hope I can remember that as time goes on.

6. I feel so blessed that for my child's first ever year of school, his teacher is a lovely mom of seven daughters, two of whom went to my high school, and whose family I was already familiar with. Especially with everything he is going through this year, it is so good to have another mama looking out for him while he's at school. Those teachers...they deserve a medal. They work so hard. She wrote me an email recently and at the end she said "If I had a classroom full of kids like your son, I would go home happy every night...and I do!" Love her.

7. This. I cannot believe that I have a kindergartner. First time moms, today you're holding your newborn. Tomorrow, they will be in Kindergarten.