With every grinning first-day-of-school picture I see, I’m reminded that in just a couple weeks, it’ll be my tiny baby starting preschool for the first time. And I’m going to have to prepare for the fact that she’s actually not so tiny anymore.
RELATED READING :: Guide to Schools & Preschools in the Austin Area
When my son started preschool, it was a little easier to let go. I had a baby and could easily picture him as the big kid next to her. I was ready for him to go have adventures without me. But now that it’s that little baby going to preschool, I’m not so ready!
Here’s what I’m doing to prepare for my youngest to go to preschool this month.
Getting us both excited about Preschool
With all the anxiety swirling around this school year, I know I need to get in the right headspace to send my daughter off to preschool and make sure she’s picking up on my positive feelings about it.
To get her excited about it, we’re talking about all the fun things she’ll get to do and how her brother will be right down the hall. We’re pointing out her school every time we pass it in the car and reading books about school. And of course, we’re buying special new clothes and shoes she gets to wear once school starts.
To get me excited about it, I’m just thinking of all the time I’m about to have to myself. I can run errands kid-free, exercise, go to cool coffee shops to do some work. Or just sit in silence without being asked for snacks.
I know they’ll get colds and other normal kid viruses so they’ll be home occasionally, but I’m still going to have so much more reliable time to myself! I know it’s going to be so good for all of our mental health, and I really am so excited for us.
Practicing for bad drop-offs at Preschool
My daughter turned 1 just a couple months before we locked down in March 2020. Since then, she’s barely been away from me for any significant period of time. I’m expecting that’s also the case for a lot of her classmates. Their poor teachers might have some sad/mad/confused 2-year-olds on their hands those first few weeks.
Besides just expecting that I’ll be dropping off a screaming kid into a room of screaming kids, I’m also rehearsing my drop-off line: “I love you. I’ll come back to pick you up after lunch.” We’ve been talking about how I won’t be at school with her but will come back for her, and we’ll talk about drop-off and school in more detail after we meet the teacher.
I know it won’t always go perfectly or happily, but I know it will be OK, and that’s the most important thing for me to convey to her.
Planning things for the days off
Both the blessing and curse of the baby and toddler days is the unlimited time to fill. So while I’m excited to have some time back to myself, I’m definitely feeling sad about not being able to do whatever we want, whenever we want. And you know as soon as you start thinking about losing time to schools and schedules, you’re just a hop, skip and jump from crying thinking about kindergarten (in 3 years, but it’s coming!).
To combat those feelings and take advantage of the time we do still have, I’m planning ahead for the days my kids are off of preschool since they only go part-time. I’ve got a running list of parks, playground, hikes, and other adventures we can go on. That way it’ll be easy to pick one and take advantage of our time together.
Stocking up on meds
Of course we’re all nervous about our kids getting sick as they go back to school. The past year has been so nice in that one regard: I almost never had to take them to the doctor! But we can’t keep them in a bubble forever, and the only way I can think to feel better about the upcoming runny noses, sore throats and coughs is to prepare the best I can.
I’m getting my supply of Tylenol, cough syrup, popsicles and Pedialyte ready so I won’t have to run out to Walgreens the first time my baby brings a cold home.
Feeling lots of feelings about the last year
To no one’s surprise, last year did not go the way I had pictured it would for my toddler. We were supposed to have more time, just us. She was supposed to see her brother going to school all year and be begging to go. She was supposed to have babysitters and nights at grandma’s house so she’d be used to other people.
I was supposed to be a more patient mom. I was supposed to put together activities and sensory bins. I was supposed to shower more.
There were a lot of disappointments last year, but there was also some really great time for our family to spend together. Going into this year, I’m going to let myself reflect on it all and feel sad for the sad things and grateful for the happy things. And then I’m going to let it go as much as I can. I want to start this school year fresh and look forward to all the good that’s coming.
Do I think any of this will fully prepare me for watching my youngest walk into her classroom for the first time? Nope, no way. In the same way that you can’t prepare for how quickly time passes with your kids no matter how many times people tell you. But I’m going to prepare the best I can. Well, that and cry over baby pictures and click Add to Cart on a few more cute back-to-school outfits.
Photo Credit :: Allison Turpen Photography
