Just in case my daughter has a hard time her first year at school, I'm going to do all I can to make sure she knows I'm supporting her. Because . . . four weeks. That's all the time I have left to spend with my firstborn at home, and it is flying by at record speed. While my fiercely independent and extroverted little girl cannot wait to head off to kindergarten [1], I'm already losing sleep over the thought of sending my baby off for an entire day to be cared for by strangers.
It may seem silly, but what if they don't care for her [2]? What if my daughter, who skips, hops, and dances to the beat of her own drum while belting out show tunes at the top of her lungs, is too much for her new teachers and classmates? What if she's bullied? What if she has a kindergarten teacher like mine, who made an example of me [3] when she snatched my project off of my desk, tore it up, and dropped it into the garbage can in front of the class because I used too much glue?
In total, my daughter will be gone for almost eight hours a day [4]. She will be in school while I spend my days taking her baby sisters to Mommy and Me art classes and story times or on trips to the local aquarium or children's museum. She will be missing out on all of the things we used to do together.
I know that right now it doesn't bother her. Right now, she is excited for this next chapter [5] in our lives, and I hope that that excitement lasts throughout the entire year. And maybe it will! Maybe my fears will prove to be unfounded. But just in case, I want to do all I can to make sure she knows that I'm missing her, loving her, and thinking of her while she's away at school. Read on for 10 simple ways I'm going to do just that.
Be Her Biggest Advocate
As a former teacher, I have seen the horrors of helicopter parenting [7]. While I make it a point to not be one of those parents, I will still be my daughter's biggest advocate should the need arise.
Foster Her Independence
My daughter desperately wants to take the bus to school, and that's been a hard "no" from me. But maybe, just maybe, I need to give her the independence [8] that she craves.
Prioritize Family Time
Since she'll be gone most of the day, I'm going to make the most of the time we have at home. Sitting down and eating breakfast and dinner together, and letting her help prep our family meals, will give us some much-needed quality time.
Mornings can be extra busy [9] or chaotic, so packing her lunch and laying out her school clothes the night before will be the key to ensuring that we can take the time to enjoy each other before she heads off to school.
Give Extra 1-On-1 Time
My husband and I will alternate Saturday mornings with our daughter. One of us will spend the morning giving her some extra one-on-one time [10] while the other stays behind or runs errands with her younger sisters. The rest of the weekend will be spent as a family.
Volunteer at School
Room mom? Cafeteria helper? Sign me up. While my daughter is certainly Little Miss Independent, I feel that volunteering at school [11] whenever I am able is a great way to show her that I'm interested and present.
Surprise Her With Mother-Daughter Days
When I was in elementary school, the main office would buzz into our classroom via the intercom and ask the teacher to send one of my classmates down with their things. I always hoped that it would be my mom there to pick me up from school early. It never was. And while I knew that the kids were likely leaving early for a doctor or dentist appointment, it still would have been exciting to have my name called.
This year, I plan on surprising my daughter at least once with a mid-day mother-daughter date [13]. With Frozen 2 [14] coming out in November, how can I not?
Pack Cute and Fun Lunches
Hopefully some artistic bento boxes [15] will give my daughter something to look forward to each day while encouraging her to try a few new foods. Pinterest is loaded with great (and simple!) ideas for fun, creative, and healthy school lunches.
Put a Note in Her Lunch Every Day . . .
Finding one of these lunch box cards [16] ($10) is sure to brighten up her day.
. . . Or a Silly Joke
When it comes to jokes, my daughter can't get enough, and the cheesier the better. These Lunch Box Jokes For Kids [17] ($12) will undoubtedly give her and her new friends something to laugh about at the lunch table.
Sneak In a Special Treat
We eat pretty clean in our house, but we also indulge every once in a while. I know that packing an extraspecial treat [18], whether it's once a week or once every other week, will be the source of some major excitement.