Last Monday, August 22nd was the first day
of kindergarten for Giselle and 2nd grade for Isabella at Schilling
School. Which, by the way, I recently
learned that in Will County, Luther J. Schilling School rated as number 7 as
the Top 10 Elementary Schools!! As a
parent, that is exciting to learn and know your children are in a good school
because we always want the best for our little ones that we hold dear to our
heart.
Back to the first day of school. For the first time in 8 years, I would be kid
free. All day. Everyday.
I was NERVOUS. Giselle? BEYOND EXCITED. The night before, she packed her own lunch
without being asked. She set her school
bag by the back door with her tennis shoes and socks laying in front of
it. EVEN placed her outfit in the
bathroom. She couldn’t WAIT to ride that
school bus with her big sister Isabella for the very FIRST time in her
life. She even spoke to me about how
excited she was to meet and make new friends.
Isabella? EXCITED. Once she saw how excited Giselle was, the
competitive side came out in her. She
observed Giselle being prepared and organized and decided maybe she should do
all of those things too. And she
did.
And the morning came.
We did what all parents do. Take
the first day of school picture with our children outside and see them off on
the bus. Giselle was so excited at the
bus stop that she started running to get on.
I had to yell, “Giselle, can mommy have a hug and a kiss good-bye?!” “PLEASE.” Isabella gave me big hugs and
kisses and said, “Mommy, I am really going to miss you. I don’t want to go!”
While I didn’t cry as I waved and watched the bus drive
away, I did say the words out loud to myself… "You’re taking my little ones
away. Both of them. Bring them back!” They both had a great first week at school
and I love seeing their excitement each and every day. I have even noticed that because they are not together as often during the day, they work as a team more when they are home. WHICH IS AWESOME. Isabella is really looking out for her little sister and I couldn't be more proud!
As a parent of young kids, it feels like there’s a constant
conveyor belt of things that have to get done.
If we’re not helping to get the children changed, dressed or fed, we’re
getting ourselves ready for work, running errands, taking kids to appointments,
activities, birthday parties. Even in
the summer, when we try to keep things as unscheduled as possible, there are
always things that you have (and want) to do.
Quality family time, making dinner, bathing children, reading stories
and asking about their day. By the end
of the day, there is exhaustion. Maybe
one of this girls are having a bad day.
Perhaps there was an emergency with the house. There’s the non-stop juggling of time. All of this on top of shaping young
lives. Raising little girls to be women
is a FULL-TIME job on its own.
With the start of school for both of my children, gone was
knowing how I would spend my time. It’s
the 2nd week of school and would you believe several friends have said to me…. So Sandy, NOW is the time!! YOUR TIME.
To go back to work full-time and be a successful career woman again. Like you were before! HA HA HA!!
I think to myself.
I already work part-time.
I’m knee-deep in parenting little kids who need me full-time. This stage of life doesn’t last forever. Giselle and Isabella will quickly grow up and
need me less. As unglamorous as this
sounds to others, TO ME. It sounds pretty
darn GLAMOUROUS and I want to HOLD ON TO IT.
GONE are those 13 hour days as a “career woman” in the office. I want to remember their sweet little laughs,
I want to be there to pick them up if they fall, I want to be able to have and
be afforded the availability to volunteer at their school. I want to soak up this time when they think I’m
the best, most fun and hilarious human that ever graced this earth. And I will continue to do “just” THAT.
