Back to School

Am I the only mom who doesn't like sending her kids back to school?

I just like it better when they are all home! For the most part, I enjoy being around my children, and miss them when they're gone. And really it's easier, too, not having to worry about getting them dropped off at a certain time, picked up at a certain time, lunches packed, agendas signed, homework, projects, field trip money, bake sale items, the teacher who wants parents to volunteer to decorate her door, etc., etc.!

But, enough complaining, they (my 2 oldest, my 4 year old hasn't gone back yet) did have a great first day of school today, we are blessed with a wonderful public elementary, where my kids learn a ton -- book knowledge and most important, I believe, life lessons.

My 8 year old walked himself to class all by himself (which he's done a lot, but never on the first day before), and they walk out of school by themselves too, rather than as a line with their teacher, like in the younger grades, so I didn't even see his teachers today (met them last week, though). I can tell the independence is good for him, and it's how it should be, he has his own world to manage without Mommy holding his hand or micro-managing as much as she used to. When he walked out of school I could just see the confidence exuding from him, like, "Yeah, I've got this elementary school thing figured out!"

My 6 year old daughter reported that she liked kindergarten better than 1st grade. When I asked her why she said, "Because in kindergarten we got to lay down and rest after lunch." So true, there is no rest time for the 1st graders! But it made me laugh because all last year her favorite thing about kindergarten was "workstations" and her least favorite? "Rest time!" She complained about nothing else in kindergarten but that rest time! You don't realize the good thing you've got 'til it's gone!!!

Then she said, "Why can't I just go down to my old kindergarten class and lay down for a little bit after lunch?" Ha! Yep, like I said, life lessons learned at school. I can't tell you how many times when I was in the working world, I just wanted to lay down after lunch and had to sit at my desk and work while fighting off sleep! Welcome to the real world, baby girl, now maybe when you do get a chance to take a nap, you'll appreciate it more!