Dear Mom who has a child going to Junior High,
I was you last year. I was anxious and scared. You see, my son Avery – he doesn’t look like a junior high kid to me. He looks like the kid who should still be in about 2nd grade. He is the kid who still loves all things Disney and a good snuggle with mom.
I was so afraid that junior high would crush his spirit and his innocence. And that, my friends, killed my heart.
According to the state truancy laws, I have to send my children to school. And since I work full-time, I’ve yet to figure out how they can homeschool themselves. So off he went into the great unknown.
The first day was hard on me. Avery rode the bus to school. There was no walking him into homeroom. No picture with the teacher. Gone was the backpack with the latest and greatest Pixar character. Instead, he donned a cool backpack with neon piping and an iPhone with amazing noise-cancelling earbuds.
Guess what? Avery made it through the day. He spotted old friends in the lunchroom and made it through the halls of an overcrowded, enormous school. He wasn’t late to any classes and {remarkably} managed to get his locker open without me hovering over top him.
Not only did he make it through the first day, he completely thrived. Junior high – in just one year – has brought so many positives changes. Avery has learned to organize and plan, as well as take responsibility for his own studies.
If he has a question about something from class, I don’t email the teacher – he does! I often got texts saying, “Mom, I need a yellow highlighter for a project.” It’s a cool shift in our normalcy.
So, to the mom who is fearful to send her child off into the next realm of education, I wish you all the love and luck in the world. Keep your head up and embrace all the newness and excitement that comes with this wave of independence. Your baby is growing up, but you are reaping the rewards of all the years of work that you’ve put in! Enjoy … and breathe.
With much respect,
A mom who has been there
Need more back-to-school tips? Check out The Ultimate Back to School Guide for Houston Moms!
Pin this post and be sure to follow Houston Moms Blog on Pinterest!
