The Start of A New School Year

As I write this, I am sitting outside on my front porch at sunset. It’s a breezy 77 degrees, a thunderstorm just passed through, and Bonnie Raitt “Thank You” is playing from my laptop speaker. A week from now, I’ll be getting my 6 year old ready for bedtime before the first day of school. First grade, to be exact.

This back-to-school season feels more significant than ones prior. I’m a little surprised. This isn’t our first rodeo. Vienna has been in daycare full-time since 3 months old and attended full-day kindergarten last year. I think the anxiety is because she’s starting a new school and officially beginning her elementary years. It’s a lot of change, but all good things.

The summer went by extremely too fast. I know we say that every year, but this summer I blinked and it was over. While we didn’t check off all the things I had planned, we made some really great memories. We celebrated Father’s Day in Cape May, spent dozens of days playing on the playground, saw friends and family, went to our local zoo and the Baltimore Aquarium, and so much more. Time needs to slow down. 

Vienna got her teacher assignment this past week, so we were finally able to go back-to-school shopping. It’s a day that I always looked forward to and loved as a kid, so I wanted to make it special for Vienna as well. Similar to last year, we went to Target, got a special drink and cake pop, and walked slowly up and down the aisles crossing off all the items on our list. We have her backpack, new sneakers, and first day dress. I also stocked up on things to make lunch-making organized and seamless. We are as ready as we will be! 

Vienna is excited to start first grade, so the anxiety I say we’re feeling is probably mainly on me. We go this week for back-to-school preview day when we’ll walk around the building and meet her teachers. Once that’s over, I’ll feel more confident and at ease. I’ve had conversations with our neighbors and everyone has wonderful things to say about our teacher and elementary school. The excitement is high, but I’d be lying if I said no tears have been shed these past few weeks (from me, not my child).

Raising a child in 2024 comes with so much uncertainty. We’re taking things one day at a time as we enter this next phase. Vienna is thankfully too young to deal with the pressures of social media, but I know that day will come. In a world that’s moving so fast, I want to make sure she enjoys the perks of being a child—playing with friends, exploring outside, and learning new things. And as parents, we continue to do our absolute best to instill positive values. While we can’t control everything the future holds, we can guide her with love and support, making sure she’s grounded in what truly matters. 

When I was pregnant with Vienna, people used to tell me to to cherish every moment because “babies don’t keep.” Now that I have a first grader, I agree even more. As we kick off this new school year, I’m prioritizing being present and soaking it all in (the good, the bad, and the ugly). If you’re a parent of a child going back to school, we’re in this together!