As we begin to settle into the start of another school year, I wanted to share a little story.  Somehow in the hustle and bustle of life, time got away from me, so I find myself a year later finally writing this story down.

 

My oldest child is pretty cautious when it comes to new situations. He likes to ask lots of questions and gather lots of data even before setting foot into a new situation. The transition to kindergarten was no different.

Before the school year started, we drove past the school weekly.

We played on the playground.

We met the office ladies.

We met the school nurse.

We went to the kinder playdates.

We even walked the halls of the school and practiced getting from the kindergarten hall to various places in the school. We practiced getting to the gym. To all the bathrooms. To the lunchroom. And to the library.

By the time that my son set foot on campus for meet the teacher, he was ready. He walked into his teachers’ classroom with a smile on his face and gave her a really big hug.

 

On the first day of school, my son decided he wanted to be dropped off in the drop-off line like all the rest of the older kids, instead of having us walk him in like all the rest of the kindergarteners. “Mom, it’s what we do at my school” he said.

So, much to my chagrin, I agreed.

As I drove through the drop off-line, I kept waiting for him to say “Wait! I changed my mind! I’m nervous. Can you walk me in??”

But instead, when we pulled up to the front of the school and the teacher opened the car door, my son said “Bye Mom! Bye Dad! See you this afternoon!” and leapt out of the car.

As he walked up the stairs towards the front door, I froze. I frantically looked in my rearview mirror as the teachers waved me on.

“Did he make it inside?

Was he going to be able to find to his classroom?”

As the panic began to rise up in me, and the teachers began to wave me forward more enthusiastically, I felt my cheeks start to burn. By the top of the pick-up line, I had tears streaming down my face. By the crosswalk, I was sobbing. My sweet husband reached over and held my hand, and said “do you want me to drive home?” “YES!!!!,” was all I could cry. So, we did a Chinese fire drill at the stop light and I blubbered and sniffed all the way home. My husband let me cry for a while, and then he offered: “you know, you prepared everyone so well for this transition…but I think you forgot to prepare yourself.”

He was right. I had totally forgotten to prepare myself for sending off my first child to the “big-kid” school.

 

Later that week in my office, I was talking with another new kindergarten parent and she asked me if the transition to kindergarten “was it a Boohoo moment or a Woohoo moment” and it got me thinking.

It was totally a Boohoo moment for me.

…And it was totally a Woohoo moment for Reilly.

He was ready. He was confident. He was excited. And he jumped out of the car and didn’t look back.

 

So, when your kids got out of your car last week, then again, this morning, and every day in between…I say it is time to celebrate.

Time to celebrate the fact that you have set them up for success.

Time to celebrate the fact that you have helped them prepare for tough transitions.

Time to celebrate that they feel confident and competent that they can do hard things.

 

So, I am raising a glass to all my fellow parents out there…congratulations on your Woohoo moment and Happy New School Year!