Opinion
OPINION: Here’s to the first-time kindergarten parents
School starts this week, and my wife and I are approaching a milestone we’ve anticipated for many years: sending our oldest son to kindergarten. We bought our home more than eight years ago within a short walk to the elementary school and remember saying to ourselves, “Our kids will be able to walk to school someday,” and here we are. What a whirlwind of emotion this moment has become. We’ve been busy with the logistical tasks of buying school shoes, sweatshirts for the fall, ordering an overpriced gadget lunchbox from some social media influencer, and signing up for the district’s communication portals. The logistical checklist brings some fun and excitement. Still, as the big day approaches, I find myself feeling anxious about the intangibles.
Have we taught him to be kind and welcoming to others? Have we built up his self-esteem enough to shake off teasing or bullying? Have we set him up for educational success? And then there are the simplest things, like will he eat his lunch so he’s not hungry all day?
These questions have been on my mind, but I know it’s time to take a deep breath and let him shine. This is his moment to step into the world—a world we’ve tried to introduce him to slowly, but now he gets the opportunity to navigate it more independently. The world is a place of contrast with its share of dangers and challenges, but it’s also filled with opportunity and joy. As my children venture out, I want them to always know that our home is a sanctuary of love and safety.
Then, there are new changes in our everyday lives—a more timed and programmed hustle and bustle. As we’ve been planning our upcoming schedules, we continually realize, “That’s a school day,” and now have a school schedule to consider when planning dentist appointments and family vacations.
And what about his younger brother? He’ll miss him during the long days, and so will I. There’s an ache that comes with knowing that our time together, just the four of us, is changing. While my wife is rejoicing in the new phase of a daily break from the thralls of motherhood, I find myself grappling with the bittersweet reality that our little boy is growing up.
As I’ve already quickly learned, each chapter of parenthood brings so much joy despite the unknowns. There’s no guidebook for these moments, no manual to prepare you for every milestone. Still, there’s value in that uncertainty, too. It reminds us that parenthood is a journey of opportunity—not only for our children but for us parents.
I remember feeling similar emotions at the start and end of preschool, and we made it through while enjoying the present. So, here’s to embracing this new chapter. Our children are ready, and so are we.
