1ST DAY OF PRESCHOOL

 
- Liane Weintraub, Editor-in-Chief 

As Labor Day approaches, I have mixed feelings of excitement and dread because my daughter is about to start pre-school. 

Sure, she’s been in “school” programs and classes before, but this seems so “official.”  Even though the little ones only go to school for half a day at first, and their “curriculum” consists more of playing and learning some much needed social skills for interacting with other children their age, it’s still school and it sounds serious.

Ava will be attending 2 different schools, due to space constraints (there just wasn’t room at either school for her to go every day) and one of them is on the same campus as a large elementary school, so it has the feeling of being a real school.  Lots of “big kids” will be all around her every day, and the preschool area is right in the school-yard, so she’ll absorb all that energy of bells ringing and seeing grade-school kids spilling out for recess.

That’s where my excitement comes from – the knowledge that my daughter is growing & learning & having new, valuable experiences.  It’s also where my dread kicks in! 

Even though pre-school is barely even “school,” it is still a major step in the growing-up process.  As of this month, Ava will have officially embarked on her educational journey, which (if she’s anything like her mom), will last a long, long time.  To quote an old saying, it is “the beginning of the rest of her life,” and for a mother that’s a biggie!

I suppose it’s simply time to pack up her backpack, get her lunchbox ready and (gulp!) let go …