It's the last day of their first week back to school, and I KNOW they are wiped out. But man... they've really done okay!! With three of my four kids entering a brand new school this year, there is a lot of extra burden on them to get comfortable, familiar, and confident in their new normal... and they're doing it!
Noah, first-time high schooler, has a rigorous daily schedule-- beginning with his first year of early morning seminary (6:00am-6:50am), ending with hot, hard workout in cross-country practice every afternoon (3:30-5:00pm), and all honors classes in between. He has all the potential he needs to succeed, but he's going to need a lot of love and support and encouragement to keep going when it gets hard. And it WILL get hard. He's amazing, though, and I think this is going to be an important year for him on his journey to adulthood. I cannot wait to see how this shapes him-- every part of it!
Lucy, first-time middle-schooler, has to fight a deep and omnipresent anxiety as she learns how to do school in this new, class-to-class way. She and I did a lot of prep work to get her ready-- walking her schedule, practicing her lock, talking about ways she can cope with difficult moments, places and people she can go to if it threatens to overwhelm her entirely. She has a team of helpers I feel so confident in and grateful for-- her school counselor, her 6th grade Blue hall teachers, and especially her special education teachers. She has a caseworker/mentor who she gets to go work with every afternoon for the last 10 minutes of the day, as a way to wrap up the day and double-check her planner, compile her needed papers and assignments, and just check in with as to how the day has gone. This is AMAZING on so many levels. It helps corral her ADHD, gives her an anchor for her anxiety, and teaches her executive functioning skills that will serve her forever. And this teacher is SO nurturing-- just what Lucy needs in this more fast-paced new school environment. And at the end of this first week, while there have been a couple of hiccups and some tears, I would say that 85% of it has been very positive and successful. Lucy is going to get the hang of this and she is going to do so well. I believe in her!
Quinn is somehow a FOURTH grader, and the only kiddo who gets to return to the same school he knows and loves. He is going to have such a good year. He is so smart, so consistent, and so good-natured. I feel like I don't give him enough credit. Last year he almost never brought anything home, so I didn't really think about what he was working on-- I just trusted his teacher and saw that he was thriving and growing, an that was enough. Earlier this week, though, I finally went through my big box of piled-up schoolwork they all brought home at the end of the school year last spring, and Quin had SO MUCH work in that stack. It was like seeing an entire year's worth of knowledge, effort and growth in one day. I suddenly realized just how much hard work he was doing every day in that classroom. Steady. Strong. Smart. I'm so grateful for that accidental insight. I feel like I have a better picture of who this kid is, and I know he will just keep getting wiser and more dedicated throughout this 4th grade year.
Larkin, feisty new kindergartner, has been ready for this for YEARS. Watching her siblings get on the bus without her, year after year, she is SO HAPPY it's finally her turn. She had an incredible year last year in preschool, and her sweet teacher said that if she could have a Larkin in her class every year, she'd never retire. Larkin is smart, kind, aware, excited, and creative, and all of this will serve her so well in kindergarten as she expands what she already knows. Music and art, library and PE, on top of all the cool things she'll do in her classroom... This kid is going to thrive!!!
And me? Okay, I miss having them around. A little. I definitely miss having a buddy to spend the day with and to keep me company on errands. But. I AM LOVING THIS NEW LIFE SO MUCH HOLY COW. Just now as I've been typing this, I have earbuds in and I'm listening to the most beautiful classical and choral music, and I'm just singing along, adding random harmonies.... loud as I want to.... No one to interrupt or for whom I should have at least one ear available to listen for in case of problems or food requests, etc. I am writing a BLOG POST, for pete's sake. I just took a 1+ mile walk with an audiobook to keep me company. I have a backlog of projects I am finally beginning. I did a newborn session during the week and didn't even need to think about babysitters. I can tackle work emails during the day. I'm going to go have lunchdates with sisters and friends now and then. I feel my well filling and it feels incredible.
So yes. New year. VERY new experiences for most of us. And so much opportunity ahead for all of us. I feel ready for what lies ahead. here we go!
