Well, the time has come to move things out of my kindergarten classroom.
The thought of doing this gives me butterflies. Feelings of both excitement and nervousness.
I always told my students how you can feel more than one feeling at the same time, and this perfectly describes me now.
I’m so excited to start a new chapter of my life. This new chapter will revolve around my kids. I am choosing to be there with them for every minute and to give them the same kind of life that my parents were able to give me: a life with their mom by their side.
I’m excited to do everything together with them and to be the one they see every day. I’ll be there for everything.
Even on those tough days when naps are short or non-existent, and when I spend more time putting out fires than kindling fun, I will think about how fortunate I am to be there. Kids don’t only remember the happy, fun moments you spend with them, but they also remember the hard times. They’ll remember that you were there supporting them.
Because every moment counts.
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But I’m also nervous. We’ll be living off one paycheck. I won’t see my coworkers every day, let alone any adults some days. I won’t have another space for myself to disconnect from family life. I worked so hard to set up a welcoming and nurturing classroom and now I am leaving behind that space and the experiences it brought.
I won’t be following a schedule – I’ll be making one.
My coworkers knew more about my personal life than any of my friends because I saw them every day. As you go through ups and downs at work, they’re the ones who are there to support you. Any teacher would agree with me when I say that we stick together and we’ve got each other’s back. And this is one thing I will deeply miss.
I’m nervous about leaving this part of me behind because I’ll have to find my own tribe.
I have spent years teaching kids how to make friends, but when you find yourself in their shoes it gives you a whole new perspective.
Will other people like me? Will they judge me? These are the same questions kids ask themselves and here I am wondering the same things.
This new chapter involves my kids, but it also involves me.
In order to be the best mom I can be, this means working on myself. And this is a beautiful thing for my kids to see.
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My kids will learn how to make friends because they will see me making friends. And my kids will learn to be brave because they will see me being brave.
This school year, I won’t see a class of nervous, excited, and curious little faces staring up at me. Instead, I will see the faces of my two little girls. There’s still so much to experience with them, and I’ll be there for every moment.
To the 2023-2024 incoming kindergarten class, you may be feeling many feelings right now, and that’s okay. Just remember – there will be ups and downs, but it’s going to be amazing.
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