As a mother, you always know that day is going to come. The day your baby, goes into the care of some other person for eight hours out of the day. Maybe more, when if their bused. However, I was not prepared for that day coming so soon. He’s only three years old. Children are expected to start learning in a social situation, such as pre-school by three years old. He just started to use the potty on a regular basis and using full sentences when talking. Now, I’m sending him off with strangers, with an apple in his hand and a number two pencil in his Blue’s Clue’s backpack.
I made all of the appropriate phone calls and filled out all of the necessary paperwork. I even bought him a lunch box. Yet, I was still not prepared or even comfortable with the whole idea. I could not even believe I was about to give my baby over to a stranger. My son just a face in the crowd. What was I thinking? Could I really be this careless? Yet, everyone and their grandmother was doing it. Does that make my decision any less heart wrenching or I am just a sheep in the crowd heading to pre-schools across America?
Now my parenting skills were going to be judged by the outside world. My behavior that is thrown back in my face when my son throws a tantrum, on display for the board of education, the other children in the class and all of their parents. This I was not prepared for. A mother’s biggest anxiety driven panic attach, to be judged on her skills as a parent. I was never one to care about what other people thought of me, my behavior, my fashion or lack there of it. Then I became a mom. I suddenly cared. Then I relaxed, when I looked at my son and realized, I have been doing a damn good job. If I do say so myself.
I started to think of all the fun things that came with the first day of school. Putting myself in his place, I thought of all the new clothes I used to get on the first day of every school year. The new backpack, lunch box, and school supplies. I am one of those people who gets high off of the idea of shopping for school supplies. Oh how I love the back to school section in Target. My son was getting excited and so was I. Daddy took him shopping for clothes and I took him for school supplies. My baby was ready for school.
My toddler has shown me that he is smart, strong, independent and eager to learn, in the three short years of his life. Not being prepared myself to let him go, is my problem. Not his. So why shouldn’t I bite the bullet and let him go? He will be gone only part of the day and I can get stuff done and spend some much needed quality time with my twin’s, who will be heading off to pre-school in 2 1/2 years. I will be prepared when their time comes. I think. I have so many more milestones to look forward to. Pre-school is the first milestone of separation that is essential for not only the toddler, but myself. The parent. The one who has to accept the inevitability that your baby will be an adult someday. Prepared? You bet I am.
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