First Day in a New School

My alarm goes off really early, the sound familiar yet strange as I have not set this alarm for almost three weeks now.  Our move right after Christmas, the end of a semester, and today is finally the first day of school for my kids.

I have loved their long break, giving us time to unpack, mostly, and get a little more situated into our new home; but I am also ready for the routine.

Soon we are all up, reading scriptures together, saying family prayers and then it is time for Lucas to get ready for school.  His school begins more than an hour earlier than the grade school.

He refuses.

Laying on the couch, stating he is not going.  His anxiety in overdrive.  We try to find words of comfort, try to reassure him the best we can.  I believe a few threats were thrown in there as well.

Finally, he rolls off that spot on the couch and begins getting ready.

My stomach is in knots.  I try not to show my anxiety, my fear.  Try to be full of reassurances and positivity, when in reality I am dying a little inside.

I am praying with all my soul, that someone will reach out to him, someone will befriend him; someone will help him not feel lost or overwhelmed.

It is hard, as a parent, sending your kids off.  Knowing all too well that you will probably never fully know what is going on in their lives; just trying to trust that you did your best teaching them, empowering them, setting them up with tools to succeed.

We get in the car, ten minutes later than I wanted to leave.  He seems mostly calm now.  We quietly chat, mostly nonsense, and then arrive at his school.  "No, no" he mutters.

"You will be great.  I will be praying for you." I assure him.

He says a few extra byes as he gets out of the car and I drive away, not looking back.  I think if I did, I would have lost it.

Please let the kids be nice to him, please let his teachers help him adjust moving into a new school halfway through the year.

I arrive home to find Alex and Ryder both all ready, well before it is time to go.  If Alex is nervous she isn't showing it, mostly excited, which helps buoy her little brother.

When it is finally time to go, we talk to school together.  The crossing guard near the schools asks if we are new as he has never seen us before.

We go into the office to find out what rooms they are in, one of Alex's friends from church comes into the office and gives Alex a big hug and assures her that her teacher is awesome.

We find Ryder's classroom and then Alex's, on opposite ends of the school on different floors.  They both seem calm and excited.

I say my goodbye and this time can look back.

Now I am home and the house seems so quiet.  My kids constantly on my mind.

Please let the kids be nice to him, please let his teachers help him adjust moving into a new school halfway through the year.

First Days are hard.