WELCOME TO PRESCHOOL, MOM!
Usually children go through orientation before they start school and I am now a firm believer that parents should have an equivalent as they enter their children’s school aged years. We (parents) are in desperate need of something that prepares us for what we should expect. Maybe even a crash course podcast we can all listen to as we wait (oh so patiently) in the drop off line would be helpful. Not sure what I mean? Allow me to explain...
Yes, your child will probably love being at school and making new friends. They will make you tingle with pride as they show you everything they learned throughout the week. You will feel relieved at their excitement for school and admire the teachers who have the patience you never had, to teach not just your child but nearly 20, on a daily basis. You will look forward to everything preschool has to offer your child. The enrichment of socialization, the knowledge they will gain, and you will have your ear talked off as they tell you stories of their adventures with new friends! It’s a very fun time for us parents. But it’s also very intimidating.
My child has been in preschool for two months. And when I say he loves it, I mean he loves it with every fiber of his being. His eagerness to learn and grow makes not only his father and I proud but you can tell that my son is proud of himself as well. You cannot replace that feeling. Within these two months I’ve also noticed how life has changed for me. I’ve had to learn pretty fast that in the world of preschool, the Moms are a little…different.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Everyone tries to one up the other
- Baked goodies are little pieces of art crafted by angels
- There are overachievers who sign up for everything…seriously…EVERYTHING
- Birthdays are on a whole other level
- You will never feel like you fit in
Those 5 points are things I’ve been noticing and dealing with. I mean the other day when my husband waited in the pickup line for our kid he told me the line was taking much longer than usual. Turns out, a Mom and Dad thought that this was an appropriate time to surprise their kids with a new puppy. In pickup line. In front of other kids. For all the teachers and parents to see. When it came to the Halloween school party, I brought in a couple of Dum Dum Lollipops, my counterparts brought in Rice Krispie Treats designed as Frankenstein. While I throw backyard BBQ birthday parties, other parents are inviting us to indoor amusement parks for an afternoon. And finally, I know I signed up to volunteer for something, but I honestly cannot remember what the F. CK it was, meanwhile other moms are volunteering to start and run Facebook groups and organize meetings and playdates outside of the already busy school schedule. Funny enough…I thought getting my kid to school on time and me to work was the greatest achievement of my Mom life.
So as you can see, I clearly do not fit in at this point. I was also not properly prepared for the new role of Preschool Mom, which is funny because I only just figured out the whole Working Mom thing a few months ago.
But the most important thing to know is that in the end, it really doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing. As long as you are happy, your kid is happy and if you somehow manage to keep everyone alive and going through the motions for another day then you are a rockstar of a mother. The rest of it all, you just have to laugh at. So don’t feel too bad about “fitting in” because other Moms feel just like you, but are hiding it pretty well. Besides…I bet those baked goods are store bought anyway. ;)
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