School has already started here in Georgia! And I worked feverishly to ensure that we were prepared for the first day of school.
- We purchased school supplies. ““ check
- We bought a few new clothes to supplement the summer clothes they already have. — check
- We went to back to school night and met the teachers. It is important that the teachers know you are involved and that they have your support and that you are an advocate for your children. ““ check
- Signed up for the PTA and joined the Box Tops for Education Committee and the Environmental Education Committee. ““ check
- I even took the kids to the container store for a little back to school session on getting organized. —check
- We had a family meeting where we talked about our school and family goals for the year. The kids really surprised me by how well they were able to articulate their goals and how they were going to track their progress. —check
Sounds perfect, right? Well, keep reading.
The first day came, and the kids were so happy to be starting school and seeing their friends.
I put them on the bus and took my 4 year into the house because her preschool didn’t start for another 2 days. And, then I started my work.
By 10 am, I received a call from her preschool asking if she would be returning this school year. I said: “Of course, she will be there on Wednesday.” She said: “Mrs. Tyler, school started today.”
Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh….the mad rush was on to get her to school as soon a possible. I needed to take in a few more forms and proof of residence.. And oh, no..there was one more form that I needed to pick up from the doctor’s office that I had been meaning to pick up for days now.
So I raced around like a mad woman trying to pull it all together.
Whew, she is finally on her way to school. She is happy…and fly (that’s just her style.)
Please don’t ask me how I made that mistake. In the 19 years that I have been a parent, I have never missed the first day of school. But, there have been other things that I have mixed up and gotten wrong.
But hey, I can’t beat up on myself for not being perfect. And while I am desperately trying to get more organized, my ultimate goal is to be a mother that is present. Being present means that I am connecting with my kids both physically and emotionally. I am spending time with them each day and really listening to them as they speak to me. With my busy schedule, it takes work to make sure that I am present and not distracted by all of my responsibilities.
My goal is to be a loving, encouraging, and affectionate mother. Which means I send them to school each morning with a kiss. And, I remind them how much I love them and believe in them through words of encouragement and my actions.
So with all of that going on, who has time to be perfect?
BMWK ““ Please tell me that I am not the only mother/parent that get’s it wrong sometimes? With school starting over the next couple of weeks, please share with us all that you are doing to get your kids prepared for school?
Each new day provides you with an opportunity to have special moments with your family.
Disclosure: This post is part of a series that is sponsored by Hallmark and the Life is a Special Occasion campaign. All opinions and editorial content expressed are my own.