They Will Be Ok...and So Will I.

In just a matter of days I will have half as many children in my house.

While I am excited about the quiet that will bring, I am also nervous for Seth and Amelia and nervous for Libby and Me.

We have a nice groove going on here.  Everyone is used to everyone being in their business.  Libby's best friends are her brother and sister.  She is going to be lonely.  I will need to remember what it is like to have a 2 year old and a baby only again!  Amelia will be in all day Kindergarten, and will have more structure than she ever has.  Seth will be in 2nd grade and have to make all new friends this year.

When Seth started Kindergarten, I called it free preschool.  In Utah Kindergarten is 2 1/2 hours long.  It wasn't any big deal to me to have him gone for a bit of the day.  By the time I dropped him off, I had a little time to do a couple of things, and then it was right back to get him.  He had done preschool the Spring before Kindergarten, so I was accustomed to him being gone for a bit of the day.

Photo by Sarah Long, Joyful Photography

Amelia didn't do preschool.  We couldn't afford it, moved, had babies, etc.  There was always a reason as to why I should keep her out, so, besides dance and Sunday School, this is really her first formal schooling experience.

Photo by Heather Himmer

I worry about her.  I worry about how she will do.  What will she do when she's hungry in the middle of the day?  That girl is ALWAYS hungry.  She is also so sensitive and can (and does) cry at the drop of a hat.  I worry about her going, being with someone who doesn't know and love her like I do.  She has such a sweet spirit, and can get her feelings hurt very easily.  I want her to have a great experience, but I can't guarantee that.  It is hard giving up control over every interaction that she might have.

Photo by Heather Himmer

Seth has such a strong personality.  He is outgoing, strong willed, loud and opinionated.  He is loving, giving, happy, and energetic.  He has always had a difficult time with change and I am sure this year will be no different.  With 1100 students in their school, it is very unlikely that there will be anyone in his class he knows.  When there are 9 classes in his grade, the classes can be different every year.  I worry about how he will do having to make new friends again, and again, and again.

Photo by Sarah Long of Joyful Photography

I worry about these things and then I remember how resilient kids are.  They adapt, they change, they grow, they learn.  They know they always have me to come back to.  They know despite what happens at school, Mama is here to love them, listen, and help them.

As I am anticipating the start of school and the changes it will bring, I am thinking about ways to ease this transition for everyone.

I love walking home from school with the kids.  It gives us a chance to catch up and chat about their days.  I also love putting notes in their lunches.  Since Seth didn't take lunch until 1st grade, when he was already reading, I wrote little notes.  For my pre-reader Miss Amelia, I will draw little pictures for her. Something for her to get in the middle of the day from Mama.

Libby is going to need a little extra TLC with her best buddies gone all day.  So, I am planning on she and I having game time everyday.  It will be special Mama and Libby time where she can choose what we do, games, play-doh, reading books, whatever she wants.

Something else we do is have nightly chats.  I love this time when I can sit with my kids and just talk to them about their days.  I always ask what was your favorite part of the day and what was your least favorite part of the day?  This gives us a chance to really talk about what was going on that day.

I am hoping by having these ideas in place it will not only ease the transition for my kids but also for me.  Because I am going to miss having all my chicks in my nest.  I love my babies and love having them underfoot all day.  It is going to be hard to let go of them again, but I know they can do it and so can I.

But, I want to know, how do you encourage your kids in the not so easy times of life?  How do you encourage yourself when you don't want to let go, but know you have to?


This post is part of the Hallmark Life is a Special Occasion Campaign.  I am lucky enough to be blogging for Hallmark the rest of this year about different topics.  This month's theme is encouragement, and I couldn't think of a better way to talk about encouragement.  
Be sure to head over to Hallmark's site and sign up for their newsletters...you might even see me over there from time to time!
While I am compensated to write this post, as always the words are all mine and can not be bought.