Starting school...How do you as the parent feel?

[Thursday Girl]

So my DD is going to school tomorrow. This will actually be her third year at this school, but before she was in the early education building, it was less structured, and not involved in all of the schools activities.

This year she will be in class with mostly 6 year olds (she is 5). Which is not a problem. She will be changing classrooms and teachers for different subjects, she will have a locker. I am not worried about her she can handle this in every way.

But I am feeling a little nervous, a bit excited, and a lot of sadness b/c my first baby is unequivocally a big kid now. I mean really a big kid. It is making my pregnant hormonal self a bit teary.

So how areother parents feeling about their child going off to school?

[karne]

I am always very sad to see my dd and now ds as well, go off after the summer. I love having my kids with me, they love it. This year dd really wants to go back to school, which is a first. Ds is going to give it a try as well-very poignant as he is my youngest. I am happy that they are excited, but I love them and miss them. The upside is a few hours to get some work done, so that helps.

[velochic]

As a mostly SAHM (work 15 hrs. a week) I am really sad to see dd go back to school, 1st grade (this coming Monday). This will be her 4th year there and she has some really good friends that she has missed this summer, so she is excited to go back. I have told her a few times that I will really miss her and she says she will miss me too, but I know that as an only child she is ecstatic to have her playmates back. Her school is a language-immersion school, it's 45 minutes away and most of her friends live in the opposite direction, so a 1.5 hour drive to visit friends wasn't in the cards much this summer. We have *literally* NO other kids in our neighborhood so she had nobody to play with unless it was a scheduled play date. Still, we had an AMAZING summer together... our best ever... so much fun and we bonded more closely than we have ever been so I am not ready for it to end yet. I also don't look forward to the drive!!

[lightheart]

My school age son is 1st grade, 6 yrs, my stay home son is 4.5 years.

I'm happy and sad, I'm so happy he's 'out in the world' making friends, learning things but there's the part of me that doesn't like to let go. It's difficult when he comes up with knowledge or a saying and I think, I wasn't there to teach him that or to see him learn that little tidbit.

I worry that he isn't getting enough to eat, then I worry that he's eating too much, that he doesn't get to play outside enough, that maybe he's outside too much and getting a sunburn or overheated... is everyone being nice to him? is he being nice to everyone?...

Part of me is extra happy that I'm getting alone time with little brother while big brother is off to school, then I miss having big guy around sometimes to make 3 players in a game or whatever.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I can go to a store during the day and don't have to say No, you can't have XYZ and ABC! (well I still have to say it sometims to little guy, but not as much)

I dislike having to get up at a set time every morning and knowing that if he's late it's my fault.

I like being able to go to the bathroom with one less set of eyes watching and asking "waccha doing?"

[mistymama]

This is my ds's 4th day of K. I'll admit, I cried after I dropped him off on Tuesday. He just looked so big with his backpack and lunchbox, walking himself into school.

He did two years of preschool before this, but I always picked him up by 1pm. I WAH so I'm loving having all these free hours to actually work! But it feels like a long day apart for us, and I miss him. He's totally loving it though. Each evening I joke with him that I want to keep him home with me, because I miss him. He laughs and tells me that he WANTS to go to school.

So I guess I have mixed feelings. More than anything, it's hard to see him looking and acting so grown up ... he really is a big guy now, there is no denying it. Kinda bittersweet.

[CarrieMF]

I'm not one of those moms who cries when their kids go off to K. My 3 will be in Grade 5, 2 & 1 this year. They don't start until the 27th. Last week it couldn't come fast enough.lol They left Tuesday to spend about a week at my parents so right now that feeling has gone.

My 7yo is really excited to go & I am for her too. She NEEDS school to keep her mind occupied. she loves it & wants to go 7 days a week, she is po'd the teachers don't want to do the same.lol the other 2 aren't really excited.lol

I finished buying the school supplies, other than shoes kinda need them to do that. I can't wait to go through it all with them. School supplies was always a really big thing with my sister & I. We'd sit together writing our names on everything & sharpening our pencil crayons to the right sharpness. I kinda miss that but after decided as an adult to sharpen them it's only fun for the first few so I buy the pre-sharpened ones.lol

[Meli65]

Ds1 starts first grade in a week or so and I'm embarrassed to say that I have become one of those moms who is counting the days .... He is a very outgoing kid and easily bored -- it seems he enjoys structure too so school is a good fit for him. My mom says I will miss him when he is gone all day, but, we'll see. DS2 is starting preschool, two hours a day twice a week so I'll still be seeing a good bit of him ... and he cannot wait 'til school starts!

[littleaugustbaby]

I go back and forth. Mostly I am glad, because I think it will do her so much good. We've been stuck at home a lot due to gas prices and heat, and I know that she is bored. It will be really good for her to be out around other kids all day.

On the other hand, this is it. She is finally in school. From now on, she will always be in school. She's not a baby anymore. I've had 5 wonderful years of mostly being a SAHM, and we have done so many awesome things, and that's all going to change now that she will be spending a so much time in school every day. It's tough.

[mom2ponygirl]

I'm thrilled that school starts here Monday, but that is because we homeschool and it is great having the library and stuff clear out. LOL I have to enjoy our freedom while it lasts since my dd is considering part-time enrollment at a math science charter high school next year and we'll be subject to the school calendar then!

[mata]

I'm feeling much better about it after three days of them being there. My youngest went to kindergarten (she's 4) and my oldest to third. They both have wonderful teachers, good arrangements-I feel like they are being looked after well in all regards. I can now put that out of my mind somewhat and focus on adult matters more (that don't pertain to parenting .)

[lisac77]

DS starts K on August 25, and I'm happy and relieved! We both work so the savings in childcare will be tremendous for us. Also, he's an only child and there aren't a lot of kids in our neighborhood, so he's been understimulated this summer. Hopefully school will turn that around for him.

Up until a couple of weeks ago I was really worried because DS was very anxious about starting school, but I think the last two weeks of boredom has done it for him... he is speaking positively about his teacher and looking forward to making friends. I am happy that he will have the opportunity.