My baby starts school! Where's the Easy Button?

It is the night before Kindergarten. My husband and I tucked our firstborn into bed tonight, after saying prayers, and giving extra cuddles. The thought of my kids one day trotting off to school never made me break out in a nervous sweat, or made me want to throw up at the thought of.

In fact I prepared for it. At 2 years old I enrolled my daughter in a Co-op Preschool program and signed up to be one of the art teachers. We went to preschool together for that year. Her going to her little class and coming through my art class for class session as all the other classes did. It was a great introduction to learning in a class room setting, following rules other than mommy and daddy's, and still gave me the opportunity to be close by her side as she experienced this.

We did a weekly Mother's Club program together. She would go to her class with children her age with teachers to entertain them with stories, games, and learning activities. While I stayed in the building with other moms drinking coffee, socializing, and taking part in my own grown up activities; like gardening classes, organizing work shops, recipe sampling, and book groups.

At 4 years old we felt she was so social and eager to learn that we enrolled her in a preschool program 3 mornings a week. You know. A drop off and pick up preschool program. A field trip preschool program. A FULL morning away from home preschool program. She loved it! She found freedom and friends and letters and numbers and meal time around a little round table with jokes and giggles.

I mean, I prepared her for this next step. I prepared US. Baby steps that would gradually lead us here. To the night before Kindergarten. So why is my heart in my stomach and my stomach in my throat? Why can't I catch my breath when I peek my head in to check on her as she sleeps. Why did I stand and stare blankly at the packed book bag by the front door? Why am I checking my purse to make sure my biggest, darkest, sunglasses are in the there for the morning?

And so I remind myself that this is a privilege for her. That many young girls all over the world are sleeping tonight without the chance to go to kindergarten in the morning. Her opportunity for education is a gift. I remind myself that she is without illness that would otherwise prevent her from starting school in the morning. Then I remind myself that if those two things weren't true, I'd have a far greater reason to shed my tears.

My caring and sweet cousin recently dropped a birthday gift around for Miss M. Always knowing just the right thing to do or to give she had tucked a little school figurine in the gift with a hand written prayer for my firstborn as she prepared for her first day of school.

Lord,

May Mya be strong and courageous. May she not be afraid or discouraged. For You our God are with her wherever she goes.
Amen

Mya immediately posted this on our fridge and together we declared it to be her school prayer for the year. What I'm sure my cousin didn't know was that she was writing it for Mya's mommy as well.

Lord,
May mommy be strong and courageous. May she not be afraid or discouraged. For You our God are with Mya wherever she goes.
Amen

It is my school prayer for the year too. I encourage you to make it yours.