Back To School

I’m one of those moms that have a love/hate relationship with “back to school”. I’m excited that a new school year is here but super sad at the same time.

I’m sad because Summer is over, haha. Summer brings us days of lounging by the pool, binge-watching movies, weekday picnics, staying up late, waking up late and not in a hurry to be somewhere. It brings us much needed rest.

Summer can also be a little hard on both the boys. They both genuinely love being at school. They get bored and honestly, there’s just not a lot of wiggle room for me to entertain them all Summer long. They both thrive off the structure school brings. Although we do our “school work” and different activities during the summer, it’s just not the same.

The big boy gets about a month off from school and then he starts ESY (extended school year). He attends that for about 4 weeks and then gets a break before the “new” school year starts. That shakes up our summertime schedule enough for it to be something different for all the kids. That’s when the middle boy gets his “alone time” with me as he puts it and the big boy is getting what he needs from ESY. If you’re wondering about the baby, she’s always along for the ride.

The new school year. I think it probably gives me more anxiety than my boys. I was the one who couldn’t sleep the night before the first day of school. Already stressing how their first day is going to go. Going through my mental checklist. “Paid the big boy’s lunch money, his teacher has his snacks already, packed the middle boys lunch, his water bottle is in the fridge, I need to find his jacket. He’s going to get cold even though it’s a million degrees outside, check your alarm again, I sure hope the middle boy likes his teacher, I hope I like the teacher, I hope the teacher likes him” and the list goes on.

I always feel like it’s just a bit harder when it comes to the middle boy. He changes teachers every year and I have to introduce myself and the middle boy to his new teacher. I have to tell them about his ADHD and his reading disability. I know that it takes a few weeks for the teachers to get to know him and see where he’s at for themselves. I know that his teacher and I will get to know each other throughout the year because I am that mom. I want to know what they think, I want their advice on things for me to work with him at home. I also need them to listen and hear what we have to say too. We have to get him into a good “homework” routine at home and I need to know what they are doing every day for him to be successful.

The big boy keeps his same teacher and paras “para-professional” from the year before. We love his teacher and paras. We’re sad this is his last year with them. This year is a tough one for me with him. He’s in 8th grade which means, we will be working on transitioning him to high school next year. I can’t believe we are here at this stage of his life!

I remember when he was 5 years old thinking we had a long time to go before we had to think about high school. Here we are, getting ready for that next big stage in his life. I don’t like thinking about him growing up because he will always be my big boy, my baby, no matter how old he is. But those talks and plans of high school and into adulthood are happening. We always want what’s best for him and we love having a good support system at school for him. He’s our “sidekick” for life.

We welcome the busy days of school, after school activities and church activities that a “new” school year brings. All the fun we’re about to have with the upcoming festivities and holidays. Our favorite time of the year. But it’s nice having those Summer days to snuggle and just be and not worry about much. Even though we have a lot going on this year, I know the boys will do great and baby sister will survive without them here all day. Cheers to another school year and another year for growth!