Ready or not, here comes the first day of school | THE MOM STOP

It doesn’t seem like that long ago when I was stressing about buying my child the exact right kind of pencils and washable markers, or finding the cutest, personalized backpack that spoke to my daughter’s 5-year-old personality.

That year — kindergarten to be specific — she ended up with a hot pink mesh backpack, but I made sure it was cute with aqua-polka-dot-ruffled fabric on the straps, her monogram in large letters and complete with a Hello Kitty applique. Because, when she asked for a backpack, that was what she wanted.

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I don’t remember a whole lot of that first day of school, the “first” first day for us, except that I was a ball of emotions since I was pregnant with my third child, I just didn’t know it yet. And even my son, who was 3 years old at the time, gave his big sister a big bear hug and teared up because he didn’t want to leave her there.

I didn’t cry, at least not until I had walked him back out to our car and buckled him back in our car seat. I climbed into the driver’s seat and took a long, deep breath. And then I bawled.

Transition years are hard. The first day of kindergarten, is especially difficult for the first child. And the there's the first day of middle school, the first day of high school and moving out to go to college.

This month, millions of kids across the U.S. will head back to school, my own three children included. And while this year’s “first day of school” hopefully won’t be as emotionally difficult as that first day of kindergarten nine years ago, I still might get a little misty as I drop my first child off for her first day of high school.

In some ways, I view high school as this countdown clock. Perhaps it was always there, but it’s suddenly ticking louder now. Four more years. Only four more years.

Adulthood and college are seemingly around the corner for our oldest child, and while I do not want to rush through high school, I know from my parenting experience how fast the years will go.

And then, there’s another transition year for us, of sorts, as our son starts middle school. Having just turned 12, our boy has hit the precipice where he’s about to grow taller than his older sister and he’s already wearing a men’s size 10 shoe. He’s like a goofy puppy right before a giant growth spurt, big feet and all. I look at his face, and the chubby, dimpled cheeks of childhood are still there. But there’s an echo of the man who is going to come, too. That is something new.

I will say, I feel like this year will be our first real “first” day of middle school for us, since our daughter started middle school three years ago during the pandemic, when everything was still virtual. Trying to “change” class periods on Google Meet is one experience I’m glad we won’t have to go through again this year.

And I’m thankful that, hopefully, much like last year, this school year will be fairly normal. Only now we’ll have our three kids at three schools ― one in elementary, one in middle and one in high school.

And the clock of childhood keeps ticking. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. It’s time for back to school, again.

Happy first day of school, teachers and children included.

Here's hoping I don't tear up during the high school drop-off line, because I'm not sure my new high school freshman will forgive me.

Lydia Seabol Avant writes The Mom Stop for The Tuscaloosa News. Reach her at momstopcolumn@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: First day of high school might bring a few tears | THE MOM STOP