Congratulations, Mom! You made it through a whole year of kindergarten!
Nine months ago you bought every supply on the list, packed up that pristine backpack, brushed back those wild hairs, gave a kiss (or five thousand) and sent them off into the big wide world all on their own with tears streaming down your face in your eyes.
Momma. You’ve come so far.
You remembered reading forms, library books, gym shoes, spirit week, special events, fundraisers, picture days, students’ names, and school projects. You saved every paper, every project, every letter from the teacher, every lunchbox note, and every coloring sheet.
You met their new friends. You doted over their school work. You listened to their songs and watched them write their name. You read book after book after book. You wondered what they were thinking and longed to be a fly on the wall. You signed a bagillion papers and worried a million worries. But you held it all together and told them just how proud you were.
You asked “How was your day?” hundreds of times. Learned to make the best use of the carline and cried when they started reading. You dutifully sold your coupon books and sent money for the book fair. You attended the field trips and beamed at their first music concert. You facilitated their homework and you tried to keep your hands off their projects, (even though it was hard).
You listened to every story. You encouraged every new step. You pushed through every obstacle and you created margin to rest their souls. You waved goodbye when you needed to, but you were always a safe place for them to come home to.
You brought cupcakes for their birthday. You sent in Easter treats and Christmas snacks and walk-a-thon checks. You braved birthday parties with complete strangers. You attempted to stick to a bedtime schedule. You packed lunch after lunch after lunch. You left meetings early and scheduled life around school activities. You drug them through a hundred morning routines (without bodily harm) and learned the distance from your house to the school down. to. the. second.
You endured their first bad influences, the latest trends, the epic afterschool meltdowns, the heartbreaking friend drama. You corrected the not-nice words. You signed and deciphered the infamous grade reports. You listened to them count to one hundred at least one hundred times. You said yes to cookie dough and t-shirts and jump rope for heart and PTO and class parties and school events.
