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A Brave New World

by Kate Hayes


The world is about to change in a big way. This week. Do you sense it? Can you feel how different life is going to be from now on?  


My oldest child is going to start Kindergarten.  


Oh…not a big deal for you? My bad. It’s so monumental for me that sometimes it feels like world leaders might be sitting around discussing it. “You know, Mr. President…curly-haired Anna starts kindergarten next week.” “Next week? Already? Wow. The next thing you know, we’ll have world peace.” (That’s where they chuckle diplomatically.) 


My baby will be in Kindergarten! 

Just yesterday, Anna was learning to crawl. And now she’s getting ready to begin a journey that will last for the next 13 years (21 if she decides to become a doctor). She is totally brave and completely ready for it. In fact, she is probably MORE prepared than she even needs to be. She can read books and count by tens and name any state on the United States map (Canada…we still need to work on). I know she is going to blow her teacher away. The hard part is that I won’t be there to see it.  


I have to admit that I am nervous. I don’t know why…the kid has been in daycare for most of her life. But somehow it seems different this time. Anna will be at REAL school, and WE will be elsewhere. She will be starting to develop an identity of her own, separate from us. She will have successes and failures; she will assert herself and defend herself; she will make friends, and probably decide that some people just “aren’t her type.” The point is that she will be “out there.” On her own. I wish I could be there to hold her hand, but I know that she doesn’t need me to. She has been preparing for this for the past five years. All I can do is hope that she will fill me in on what happens every night at dinner. And pray that the values that we have given her run deep and strong. 



You know, it was one thing to become a parent. It’s a totally different thing to become the parent of a child who has homework and school plays and parent-teacher meetings. It seems like it wasn’t that long ago that my husband and I were the kids finding our way in the world. When did we grow up?

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Kate is a contributing writer for Mommy Moment. Kate is the proud mom of Anna and Kellen, two preschoolers who are starting to pick up all of her best habits: a passion for reading and exploring new places, an intense interest in organizing, and a total disregard for sleep. See what she has been up to over at www.adventuresinparenting.me

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Kimbuckjr

Sunday 5th of September 2010

What a beautiful post! I was just like you last school year when my daughter started Kindergarten. I felt like the World was a much better place and frankly...I still do! Hee-hee-hee-hee! I have to admit that Kindergarten was a great year for 'us.' I enjoyed every single second of her Kindergarten school year! And you will enjoy your daughter's, that's for [email protected]

Kate

Friday 3rd of September 2010

Thanks Alex!

I kind of have a feeling that I will be thinking the same thing when my 2 year old starts kindergarten. I will be ready for a break! I hope his teacher will be really high energy!

Bree

Friday 3rd of September 2010

Your daughter is so beautiful and boy do I love that hair!I know...isn't everyone aware of these life altering stages as we are :).

Alex

Thursday 2nd of September 2010

Great post! Your daughter is very beautiful :)

I was so sad and yet so happy when my oldest started school. He's now going into Grade 1.

Now, when it's time for my daughter to go to school (Sept. 2011), I will be jumping for joy lol.