Encouragement As You Send Your Kids Off to School

Dear Fellow Mom,

This is it.

This is the day you’ve known is coming. It’s the day you’ve told been simultaneously anticipating and dreading.

The first day of school.

Whether you are sending your first child off to school for the first time (that’s me!) or you are sending your last child off for the last time or anywhere in between – first days bring a lot of emotions for Moms.

We have to let go.

We have to entrust our child to another teacher.

Now it is my job to entrust my son to another but it is not time to let go. Oh no! Mamas, we are always Mom! Remember this as you send your kids off to school. We are always Mom.

We get to work with our child’s teacher to support at home what is happening at school. We built the base and now the teachers are adding another layer but we get to keep building. We need to keep building because we are our child’s most important teacher.

I’m a former preschool and Kindergarten teacher turned mom. As a teacher, I watched those first day mom tears with a tender heart. Now that I’m on the other side of the classroom door, I understand the depth of those emotions.

I’m excited for all Nathan is going to learn. He has an amazing teacher at a wonderful school! And he gets to attend a faith-filled Lutheran school where my husband teaches every day. It is truly a blessing but even blessings tug at my heartstrings.

Things are changing for our family and change always gives me pause. Who else gets nervous with these changes? I know I’m not alone in feeling all these emotions.

Emotions aside, I can calmly say this. There are going to be a lot of big moments this year.

New things to learn.

New books to read.

New friends to make.

So many big moments and big adventures lie ahead of us. This school year is only a piece of the puzzle that makes up the life of our child.

Encourage your child. Pray for him.

Thank his / her teacher.

Love your child. Listen to her.

Remember that the busy days here now are truly fleeting. One day they will be learning to tie their shoes and the next we know they will be learning to drive.

Don’t rush onto the new stage. Savor the day that is here right now. The good and the not so good. Savor it all today.

Hug your child again as you send him off to school today, and let yourself cry. Let yourself cry a bit as you remember how small they were just yesterday (it seems) when you came home from the hospital together. Then wipe your eyes and smile. Smile for all the firsts that are ahead for your child and for you!

If you are sad today, that’s okay. If you are happy, that’s okay, too. Yes, we may miss them while they are at school but it’s okay to also be excited about the time you have to run errands by yourself (or with one less child). It’s okay to be eager to tackle projects without kids around that have been waiting for months (or years). It’s okay to feel all the emotions. There is no right or wrong way to handle the first day – and all the first days to come.

So, dear mama friend. Take heart. You are not alone today.

I see you, brave and loving Mom. Best of all? God sees us too – you, me and our children. 

Take a deep breath and let’s go send our children off to school with hugs and smiles. We can do this.

We’re in this together, you and I.

Lots of love to you, dear Mama friend. Lots of love!