BT Edmonton Blogs

I vaguely remember the first day of  kindergarten. It was at Abbott school in the north end.  I remember the colourful room.  I remember all the new toys.  I can’t remember crying or clinging to my mother’s coat as she tried to make her escape into 12 years of freedom.  But I probably did.

Change is hard

On Tuesday, in our news cast, we ran a story about the first day of school for Elk Island school division.  Most kids looked snappy in their new clothes, almost happy to be lugging the still-creased-from-the-store backpack to school.  But as I was reading the words on the teleprompter…there was one little girl who caught the corner of my eye. Watch the video and toward the end…look for the girl in pink.  It looks like she was told Disneyland burned down and she was going to identify the remains of Mickey mouse.  She looked like she was told Santa decided to cease and desist any more visits down her dusty chimney. Her tear soaked face matched her pink sweater.  Her mouth gaped as she openly sobbed.

After 5 years of being home with mom, surrounded by her favorite stuffies,  napping  in the comfort of her own bed…now she was told it’s time for her to move on.  It’s heart breaking, but  just one of many adventures she will face as she grows up.  And we all know she’ll be okay in moments after her mom or dad tears her hand out of theirs.

But will the parents be ok?  The interview with the school principal told the other side of the story.  She said there was a lot of tears…but these salty droplets were rolling down the faces of the parents.  I know that will be me.  I cry at the new Apple iPhone commercial with the new grandpa.

My own little girl is facing a new adventure in her life.  She is going to daycare on September first for the first time.   I am nervous.  The butterflies are thrashing around in a mosh pit in my stomach.  I know, like all those parents dropping their kids off at school for the first time that it’s another adventure for her.  She loves being around other kids and I know her speech will improve and she will thrive in the supportive environment.  But as a mom, I want to shelter her from the kids who will run her over with their tricycle or push her out of the way to get at the sandbox.  But, growth comes with letting go.  I am just glad my husband will have the adventure of dropping her off .  He can grow.