Showing posts with label first day of school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label first day of school. Show all posts
Thursday, August 30, 2012
An Open Letter to my 6th grader
Dear Middle G,.
Are you really in 6th grade? Say it isn't so. Your age keeps sneaking up on me. Before I know it, and before I'm ready for it, you'll be asking for the car keys.
This is your final year at the intermediate building. You're one of the older kids in the building, but still one of the smallest. You have a lot of spunk and you make me laugh all the time.
Here are a few things I want you to remember at the start of sixth grade.
- Don't be to anxious to "grow up". You asked me the other day if I thought you should shave your legs and my response was simple. "I think you should shave your legs as long as you are ready to make it a lifetime commitment." Once you start you can't stop. You decided on your own to wait a little while. I'm sort of glad.
- It's good to have someone who always has your back. I'm glad you have a good buddy who you can confide in and share laughs with. The good thing about being a girl is that we make friends easier than boys. The bad thing about being a girl that some of those friends look for ways to create drama.
- Boys, boys, boys. You are starting to realize that not all boys are gross. My advice to you regarding boys, "Never let a boy come between you and a friend. It's simply not worth it."
- School is important. You aren't exceptionally excited about the start of school. You don't really like to read and sometimes you complain about math. While it is true that you likely will not need to know the capital of Uzbekistan, you should look at all those lessons like adventures. Just think of all the things you might learn tomorrow.
- Treat others the way you'd like to be treated. I stress this point often and I'm sure you are sick of hearing it, but I think it's starting to sink in. Tonight, when your best friend scored a goal in a scrimmage game, you immediately ran up and hugged her. It made no difference to you that she was playing against you!
This moment, the start of 6th grade, it will never happen again. Let's take some time to enjoy it; to relish it, to really immerse ourselves in the present. Time really does fly and once it's gone, well it's gone.
I hope you learn lots of lessons in 6th grade! Make it a great year. The choice is yours.
Love,
Mom
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
To my daughter at the start of 4th grade
Dear Middle G.,
How can you be starting 4th grade? Wasn't I just dragging your brother out of the car to pick you up at preschool? Didn't you just tell me how much you loved kindergarten?
When did you become so independent? Why do we never agree about anything any more? Why do you always have to be right? How did you become so stubborn?
What happened to the little girl that held my hand and said, "I don't want to leave you mommy. It's not fair. You're gonna have fun without me"
Now you are off to intermediate school, where you will be the youngest in the building. A place where you won't find mommy in the lunch room. You'll be on your own. You will ride a different bus than the one that has been taking you to school for the last four years.
You will be surrounded by 5th and 6th graders, one of them your sister. Those silly songs played on the other bus will be replaced by ipods and an occasional swear word. You will change and grow even more this year than you did last year. I'm not ready for that. But trying to keep you little is like trying to catch the wind. Soon it blows right past you, only staying for a minute.
I'm excited for you to take on this new adventure, but part of me is sad.
Sad that I can't be there, if no one wants to sit with you at lunch.
Sad that I can't help you figure out what to do in that huge cafeteria.
Sad that you will have much fun without me.
I'm excited that you will likely make new friends this year and will cross my fingers that they will treat you the way you deserve to be treated because over the next few years you will value their opinion more than you value mine.
As I look at you, I can't help but remember the baby who looked at me such adoration and awe. The baby that never slept and didn't have much hair until she was two years old. Where did she go?
Do you know how much I love you? Good luck in 4th grade.
I'll be here when you get home.
Mom (formerly known as mommy)
How can you be starting 4th grade? Wasn't I just dragging your brother out of the car to pick you up at preschool? Didn't you just tell me how much you loved kindergarten?
When did you become so independent? Why do we never agree about anything any more? Why do you always have to be right? How did you become so stubborn?
What happened to the little girl that held my hand and said, "I don't want to leave you mommy. It's not fair. You're gonna have fun without me"
Now you are off to intermediate school, where you will be the youngest in the building. A place where you won't find mommy in the lunch room. You'll be on your own. You will ride a different bus than the one that has been taking you to school for the last four years.
You will be surrounded by 5th and 6th graders, one of them your sister. Those silly songs played on the other bus will be replaced by ipods and an occasional swear word. You will change and grow even more this year than you did last year. I'm not ready for that. But trying to keep you little is like trying to catch the wind. Soon it blows right past you, only staying for a minute.
I'm excited for you to take on this new adventure, but part of me is sad.
Sad that I can't be there, if no one wants to sit with you at lunch.
Sad that I can't help you figure out what to do in that huge cafeteria.
Sad that you will have much fun without me.
I'm excited that you will likely make new friends this year and will cross my fingers that they will treat you the way you deserve to be treated because over the next few years you will value their opinion more than you value mine.
As I look at you, I can't help but remember the baby who looked at me such adoration and awe. The baby that never slept and didn't have much hair until she was two years old. Where did she go?
Do you know how much I love you? Good luck in 4th grade.
I'll be here when you get home.
Mom (formerly known as mommy)
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About Me
- kisatrtle
- I'm a 41 year old (gasp) freelance writer, school cafeteria manager, wife and mother. I have three children and one anxious and overweight beagle. I use my blog to make others laugh, to share some cool crafts, to document my lunchlady adventures and to lament about the challenges faced by us all on the journey called life. Thanks for visiting. Please leave some crack...um...I meant some comments.
