It’s Monday morning.
The first day of school. My two oldest kids have beaten me downstairs and went straight to the Wii for their last hurrah at Power-Pros. I’m making the lunches, and while I work on auto-pilot from the years of packing lunches and snacks, the task still seems somewhat unfamiliar after a long summer.
Did I give enough snack? Did I give too much?
I err on the side of overboard and pack away. Sitting here at 6:40am, I’m tired. Throughout the summer I’ve generally gotten up at 7:30am or so, sometimes earlier to write, but now I feel weary and anxious, with a strange emptiness in my stomach like we’re catching a 5:30am flight. I worry. Do we have everything? Am I prepared? Are they prepared?
First days are always stressful I guess, so I’m happy to hear the happy shouts coming from the basement of the boys engaged in something other than worry.
It’s the first day of middle school for my oldest; a huge school with 1,200 kids, different ‘houses’ and switching classes. The middle school could eat the elementary school. In fact, it has. Its combines five elementary schools in its belly.
It’s the first day of Kindergarten for my youngest, a transition which terrifies me; the new school, the bus, the long day away, all things not only unfamiliar to my child, but unacceptable. Please, please, let him adjust easily.
And it’s the first day of third grade for my middle one, with a teacher I’m just not so sure about.
Worry. Worry. Worry.
And here’s my oldest, up from the basement, head on my lap, saying, “I don’t wanna go to middle school.”
“But it’s going to be so good, honey.” I coo. “You get to do so many new things, meet so many new people. It’s an adventure. You’re going to love it.”
My youngest just walked down from sleep, naked, but for his underwear, ran right into my lap like a warm muffin and broke down crying.
My middle one is now playing music on his iTouch, oblivious to the nerves around him.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. You can do this. You can do this.
First days are tough, but it’s an adventure. We’re going to do it. It’s going to be okay.
I’m telling them over and over. I’m telling myself.
Yet, I feel like I’m going to throw up. Probably, just like they do.
Except for my middle one, he just asked me to make him macaroni and cheese.
Too cool for school
Icescreammama 
Whew, that sounds like a stressful morning! I’m sure they’ll come home full of good stories to tell you though! Good luck!
But it will be all right! Believe!
it wasn’t a great start, but he went!!! hallelujah!!
I’ve been thinking about you and your youngest. I hope things go well.
thank you!! could have been better, but certainly could have been worse!! i’ll take it and he said it wasn’t a terrible day! sounds like a win!!
Aren’t you so glad the first day is over and they did it?! And YOU did it! Your post is full of the angst we all feel..Now you can take a deep breath for the second day-oy.
You totally brought me back to three years ago when I had a new, very nervous middle schooler and a brand new kindergartner. My middle was pretty calm because nothing was really changing for her. I hope all had a great first day!!!! Just to let you know, my son who had a death fear of middle school had the “three best years” of his life. He never wanted to leave. But, he says High School seems pretty cool, so we will see!!
We made it thru day one!!! New things are so intimidating for all of us. Hopefully in a few days… a week? it’ll seem like old school. On to day 2!
Hi!! Give those “warm little muffins” a hug and yourself one too! Congrats on getting through day one. We had a rough back-to-school transition week last week but this week is going smoother – at least so far!
thank you! day 2 – here we come!! middle school is as hard a transition as K, only its more internal angst. ugh! there’s gonna be a lot of ice cream eating this week!
Mac and cheese makes everything better. I hope everyone survived–including you!
day one down!! day 2… here we come! 🙂