Back to school celebration...

I love back to school time.

I have always loved school. 

My favorite parts include, but are not limited to;  the smell and feel of new paper.  the freshness of new pens and lining them up all in a row.  organizing my binder that will hold all of my important work.  putting everything neatly into my brand new backpack.  wearing  the new outfit I chose weeks prior for the very special day.  receiving the class syllabus and looking ahead at what was to come.  flipping through the new text books and analyzing each new chapters title. organizing my desk.  etc...

Though my unyielding love for school, and all of its new paper excitement, continually tested more than my intellect.  If fact, it never failed to confirm my shyness and often raised my anxiety level to the point of nausea.  I was nervous to see all those faces looking back at me.  I was nervous to choose a place to sit.  I was nervous to navigate the hallways.  I was nervous to meet my teachers.  I was dying inside regarding the seating arrangements during lunchtime hour.  and dreading the free time given on the playground.

SO... I do not wish the same for my children.  I do wish for all the excitement and I do expect some level of nerves, but I hope it is not debilitating. I hope they embrace the newness with confidence.  I hope they join clubs and make a lot of friends.  I hope they play sports and give it their best.  I hope they run for student council or perform in a theater production.

So I set a table to discuss...

I created a back to school survival in-case-of-an-emegency kit...

This is to be broken when, and only when, you must ingest a food to make you smart, soda to reboot brain power, candy when you get the jimmy legs during study sessions, and pencils when you have searched high and low for the 100 pencils you have already used and then lost!!

Somewhere around June 17th the word s.c.h.o.o.l. was deemed a 'cuss' word.  I entertained this notion fully aware of the relief felt when a school year ended and a brand new summer began.  

But I am through with school being a bad word and I now say...

Cheers to school!

Mr. Witt and I had spent some time thinking about the words we wanted our children to take with them to school in this new year.  Words that would encourage a positive experience. Words they could refer to in those little heads of theirs when they were away from us.  Words to help guide them thru the exciting experiences ahead.

We took turns picking words on the table and communicating what they meant to us and how we would use their sentiments while navigating fourth and second grade.

kindness

humility

adventure

confident

perseverance
intention

knowledge

 FAMILY

We all spoke.  And listened.

We were fortunate to have Ms. Grams join us.  She is not only a grams but both Noah and Gabi's very first preschool teacher.  She picked the word kindness.  She reminded us of their first lessons as new students.

1. Be Safe

2. Be Kind

And with those words she can captivate a group of three-year-olds like no one else can!

 So I hope that opening up this dialogue will help lead them to the good stuff in life...

 Fourth and Second grade are going to be fantastic...I know it.

All the words had significant meaning and I have hopes that they will bring comfort and strength tomorrow at 8:00am when the first bell rings.  

I know you will do great.  I know you will show kindness, have humility, seek adventure, keep confident, persevere, discover intention, gain knowledge... and most importantly share in all of it with us, your mom and dad;
your family.

good luck to you darlings...

with love, mom