My three children started school this week. Often, I reflect on what life was like for me when I was in second, fourth, and seventh grade. It helps remind me about what they are going through and to be more aware.
Second grade–I remember my teacher getting angry with us for bringing the wrong materials for shrinky-dinks. This was the first time I remember a teacher getting upset with a class I was in.
Fourth–got caught passing a health book under a desk and was asked to bring it to the front. Several of us boys had discovered the anatomically correct illustrations inside. Mrs. Holiday explained to the whole class that our interest in the human body was natural. One of my early embarrassing moments.
Seventh–Ripped my pants leaping up on a retaining wall around the school and had to pull my “Wild and Crazy Guy” T-shirt down low to cover up the rip.
These remind me that my children, too, are going through embarrassing, funny, and formative moments these days.
I took Jacob and Anna this morning so I could see where their classrooms were. Jacob turned and cried when I kneeled down to say goodbye. I pulled him close, his back to me, and put my arm around him, my hand on his chest. His heart was slamming his chest.
“Are you feeling homesick?” I asked.
He nodded.
His teacher said he would have less trouble with that if I dropped him off at the curb. That’s what I normally would do, but today I wanted to see his class, meet his teacher, be there when his heart was in his throat in a new classroom, at least for a moment.