Goodnight

When my hubby and I tuck our kiddos into their beds tonight we will be saying goodnight for the last time to elementary school.  No more Room Mom or school parties.  Sign up sheets for classroom help will be a thing of the past.  We will no longer be putting names into the lottery to see who can ride the bus and be field trip chaperone to the zoo.  Where did the time go?  How in the world, can we not have even one child in elementary school?  Seriously, I don’t feel old enough for this to be happening (today, anyway).

I cannot say that I am completely upset by this.  I am more than happy to bid farewell to the elementary school mommy wars!  I know you know what I’m talking about…..the war over who can spend the most time in the classroom?  The conversation about whose kid is always dressed in the cutest clothes?  And, oh my gosh, can you believe she brought that nonorganic, GMO-filled, MSG covered snack for our children to consume?!!! We all know we have been both the victim and the finger pointer here!  So, yeah this is one area I am kinda happy to be exiting!

But, I loved reading month (I still cannot get enough of Dr. Seuss).  And, I looked forward to seeing little faces light up when they saw the tigers and monkeys at the zoo.  There was even the time we got to hear all sorts of interesting 2nd grade observations while quickly shuffling passed the bear exhibit.  The bears were, ummm “wrestling”; yep, that happened more than once!  I even enjoyed the pilgrim plays and recorder concerts!  I won’t even have to pack snow gear in backpacks next year.  Apparently, 5th graders are way too cool for snow pants!

Next year, we will have an 8th grader (gasp), 6th grader, and a 5th grader.

Recess is no longer swings and slides and monkey bars.  It’s walking around the track and flag football.  The conversation around the dinner table is slowing becoming more about who sits with who at lunch, and what’s going to be worn tomorrow, and less about Spiderman and how many times they went down the slide at lunch time.  Don’t even get me started on the homework; seriously, is there something I can do to stop this and slow everything down just a little bit?!

So, say a prayer for me and all the other parents that will quietly put elementary school to bed tonight.  In my heart I know that it’s only gonna get better, but sometimes the pace at which this family grows up brings bumps and bruises that sting just a little bit before they get better.