Almost ready

Another milestone is rapidly approaching as my son is in his last few days of preschool and starting kindergarten next week. He's really been ready for months, so in some ways, that we are almost finally there is a relief, but at the same time it truly feels like the end of his babyhood and start of his childhood. We've visited the school many times, have now met his teachers-to-be, and I'm such an obsessive planner of life changes, whenever possible, that he's getting a little tired of me talking about it all, all the time. He's ready, and I'm almost ready.

I am really excited for him to start this journey. He's a sweet, very friendly and outgoing kid. He'll make friends easily and he'll probably be a pretty good student. He seems like a natural leader, and I'm hoping he'll find this is a positive attribute and that his educators will see it too, and help foster it in him. I've been in touch with the PTA to volunteer when I can, and have been paying attention to the many repeated messages from the school and district preparing families for the start of school, and especially the start of kinder. The school seems to have this all in hand, and gets out communications and information effectively, to those who are listening.

I know this is the life of a parent. Almost all kids go to school at some point. Almost all parents have to give over their most precious little loves to others for care and learning, at some point. We have to put our faith in the systems in place and the people in charge without really knowing them intimately. It's what we do. And we trust they know what they are to do. But I am also afraid. This world is a far less certain place than it maybe once was. There is no way to know for sure that all will be well for our children. There is certainly a barrage of things, events, and people, coming at us daily, we can point to that makes it impossible to believe all will be well. Yet next Tuesday, I'll take him to his new school, I'll hug and kiss him goodbye, and leave him there. And this I will do almost every day for the next 13 years. He's ready, and I'm almost ready.