Back to School, It Happens this Time Every Year

At summer’s end, I always wonder where the summer went and how it got away from us so fast. Literally, weeks have flown by and it seems like one big, hot blur.

We have been talking about going back to school, now, for a few weeks. We are talking about riding the bus, buying school lunches, school supplies, teachers, class rosters, school clothes, new backpacks, new lunch boxes and a zillion other details.

For a young child, it always works best to start talking about new things in advance. This gives them time to process the information, ask questions, voice their concerns and fears. At our dinner table tonight, we were purposefully talking about the next big event for back to school.

In our neighborhood, the school office posts the class rosters in the window on August 20th at 4 p.m. It happens like clockwork every year and it is somewhat of a ceremonial event. In my mind’s eye, I see the office ladies in slow motion sitting at their desks, watching the clock, nervously tapping their feet with a little bit of sweat on their brow. They look outside to see a crowd of moms, dads & students eagerly anticipating the information. The office ladies walk over to the window and methodically post the lists. The volume of the crowd increases as people are craning their necks to see what teacher they got and who is in their class. Comments, good and bad, can be heard all the way to the parking lot.

Two days after the class list is posted, every student and parent has a chance to visit their new teacher and classroom. I see this as one more step in the right of passage; sizing up your new teacher and the unfamiliar faces of your new classmates and wondering how you will ever fit in. If you feel like your child is a bit on the shy side or uncomfortable with starting back to school, check out Understanding Shyness, an extremely insightful and helpful MindBite.

Going back to school is exciting, but tough all the same. Going to bed late and sleeping in will come to a screeching halt. In order to catch the bus at 7:10 a.m., our little girl will need to wake up at 6:15 a.m. We know that long days ahead will be exhausting while adjusting to the new routine; however she will be happy to be away from her little brother and with people her own age.

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