| I'm not so old that I do not remember the first day | | | | several classrooms and teachers throughout the day. |
| back to school throughout most of elementary, | | | | This child who is already experiencing physical and |
| middle, high school or even at University. I have not | | | | hormonal changes is actually scared half to death. |
| had to prepare a child for the first day at school or | | | | They are usually too frightened to admit it and are |
| back to school but I have lived vicariously through | | | | caught between wanting to be in Mom's lap to |
| the experience of other parents, especially Moms.I | | | | thinking no one loves them. Finding their locker and |
| adopted this family from church with four children | | | | getting to classes on time could make this child an |
| and asked the Mom what was needed and she gave | | | | olympic runner. Leaving middle school and entering |
| me names, ages and sizes. I was assigned to take | | | | high school for this age group is almost heaven as |
| care of underwear and the like. Yikes! What a chore | | | | long as they feel they are wearing a parachute. They |
| that turned out to be! Imagine someone with no | | | | must be out of braces at this age and are now |
| children trying to shop for 4 kids from age 3 to 12. | | | | hoping they are smart enough to 'make the grade.' |
| The girls are the youngest and oldest. I won't tackle | | | | They are the ones with the most nervous |
| that again. I decided I will give a gift card from the | | | | excitement, I feel, because their is more excitement |
| store and let Mom do the shopping next time. I tried | | | | than fear. A junior becoming a senior in high school |
| very hard to put myself into it and faked it a bit but | | | | knows the GPA must be as high as it possibly can |
| after finishing, I realised I had a fun time except for | | | | for any Ivy League school to glance in their direction |
| worrying if the kids would like their | | | | but then it is the last year of childhood (in their |
| undergarments.What I did has to be the easiest part | | | | minds). Others know how much a high GPA matters, |
| of going back to school after a long summer break. I | | | | period. The pressure is on to make something of |
| thought about the big list of things to do and the | | | | themselves and moving beyond high school is a |
| clothes and school supplies that must be bought; not | | | | gigantic leap from irresponsible teen to responsible |
| to mention a biological clock schedule change that | | | | college student or employee. Matriculating at |
| must be adjusted. Moms and Mr. Moms have scurried | | | | University is a pivotal moment for freshmen. The |
| about in the heat of summer to get physicals, dental | | | | moment they've waited for all their lives is now at |
| checkups, orthodontic adjustments, haircuts and | | | | hand but for the life of them, they can't figure out |
| shopping completed. What I visited most concerns | | | | why they're homesick! I've only written from my |
| the mental changes and adjustments students of all | | | | imaginings and not from the experience of preparing |
| ages must make and it can't be easy. Transitions | | | | a child for the first day back to school. My prayer is |
| taking place will be challenging, frightening, upsetting | | | | for each child to feel loved and safe. I do not want |
| and a sign of growth and maturation. These | | | | them preoccupied with adult matters. I desire for the |
| transitions may not be willingly accepted but forced | | | | innocence of youth to be protected and respected. I |
| without harmful intent because life happens. Infants | | | | want their first day back to school to be one of the |
| become toddlers; toddlers become boys and girls | | | | best days of the rest of the school year! Moms, |
| who become adolescents then teens; teens become | | | | Dads, and Guardians? Give them a hug for me?Back |
| young adults who become fully grown. (God | | | | to school for Moms, Dads, and Guardians means all of |
| willing!)WHAT WILL BACK TO SCHOOL MEAN?Back | | | | the above and then some. You're no doubt |
| to school will mean a pre-K student going to the first | | | | experiencing what the children are so I suggest a |
| grade will now stay in school all day instead of half a | | | | group hug.You'll have lovely stories to hear when |
| day. The child has to become accustomed to being | | | | they get home from the first day back to school. |
| away from Mom most of the day. Back to school for | | | | Others of you will receive phone calls, just as I will. |
| the sixth grader will mean breaking away from one | | | | Nieces and nephews will be amazed they survived |
| classroom and teacher for most of the day, to | | | | the day, just as I have assured them they will. |