Ooooh, Grade Two


I don't know how many times over the last few months I've wished this day would come. It was practically all I could think about during certain moments. It's the promise that I repeated to myself every time I broke up yet another brotherly squabble or cleaned up the result of overly-imaginative play: school will start soon. School will start soon. School will start soon.

But no matter how many times this summer I said, "Put some pants on!" or "Enough tattling!" or "Leave your brother alone!" (and I said those things approximately 4,627 times a day), apparently it wasn't enough. Because y'all? School started today. And I'm surprisingly sad about it (although not like when he went to Kindergarten, thank goodness, because that was ugly.)

I don't think it's necessarily because I'll miss Colin so much. I know I won't miss the constant refereeing between he and Cameron. I guess it's just because, no matter how old your child is, it's still your child and you hate to just thrust them out there into the relative unknown. I mean, Colin has been in school for two years now - but each year has presented its own challenges (remember this? And this?). There are new teachers and new rules and procedures to adjust to, a new set of classmates, new concepts to grasp. And I wonder: will he flourish or flounder?

Colin is so sweetly excited about it all. Last night he picked out the outfit he wanted to wear, and asked if he could put it on and "try it out" before this morning. He made sure his brand new shoes were still spotless and his brand new Mario Bros. backpack was hanging by the door. And when I put him to bed, he writhed around under his covers for a minute shrieking, "Mommy, I'm so excited!"

His enthusiasm tugs at my heart. I want it to stay like this for him. I want him to go to school and have the most fabulous year he's had so far. I want second grade to be an amazing experience: nothing but progression and discovery and enrichment and delight. I want to shield him from everything even remotely unpleasant.

But that's impossible.

So, like I've done on the first day of school for the past two years, I took a deep breath and sent my little lamb into what could either be a pretty green pasture or a lion's den. I blinked back tears as I watched him walk in, proudly prepared on the outside but with a whiff of insecurity about him. I acted like it didn't bother me when he refused a goodbye kiss. I pretended I was nothing but one hundred percent excited and confident that he was going to have an awesome and fabulous year yaaaay!

And then? I cried my face off. Because I can't protect Colin.

But I have to trust him.


Comments

  1. I hope he has a great first day. Mine go back on Friday. I'll miss them but holy crap I need some quiet.

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  2. Awe, I miss my boys loving school. Last year a very, very bad teacher ruined for my 10 year old. I would like to line that teacher up in front of a firing squad.

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  3. Yes! I feel exactly the same way. I just sent my oldest off to first grade, expecting it to be no big deal. And it wasn't, to him. I, however, have been a blubbering mess.

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  4. I'm crying just thinking about Colin out there in the world at he age of seven! But I know it's the only way to prepare him for the bigger world, and to get him ready for the contribution he's going to make. Still, I just want to hold him right now.....

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  5. I know how you feel. I'm from North Carolina and here we don't go back until the 28th. Then we will officially have a 12th, 11th, 9th, 8th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd grader......The teenagers don't bother me as much, although my only girl starts as a 9th grader this year and i've been trying to tell her how hard being a freshman is....But it's the little ones who really make me sad. The 4th grader doesn't want me to come to his class, the 3rd grader does. And my littlest one, the 2nd grader I will probably walk him to his class until he is a senior!! He's my baby afterall. Stay strong and I hope that your bright child will have a good year!!!
    2many2count07.blogspot.com

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  6. I remember how exciting that time of year was. I wish I could be that young again. I'm sure hes well prepared to face whatever life throws at him and if hes not he has a wonderful parent to help him adjust and flourish into an amazing adult some day.

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  7. I know how you feel. I am a 5th grader and the same age as Colin.
    I am also a special needs child, but my school does stuff to try and accomadate all special needs children. We have something called switch around time. We have an advanced math group that does extra, harder, projects and harder math. There is also an advanced reading group. My parents have considerd moving me up a grade but decided to wait until my social skills improve. So I really relate to colin. Also I recommend to him to watch a channel on youtube called ASAPscience. It's a really cool science channel!

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