Nervous In Kidville

There’s electricity running through town today. Tomorrow starts the 2011-2012 public school year and everyone wonders what it will hold.

Kids, obviously, are nervous about who’s in their class, whether the teachers will be nice, how much work they’ll have, and maybe what the cafeteria holds for lunch.  Teachers are anxious about who’s in their class, new policies, changes in curriculum, and In some cases, a new principal.  Administrators are probably antsy about the progress on the construction in our schools.

I’m on edge as well. I desperately want everything to go well for my kids. I want the new school year to be as stress-less as possible for them, but I know that’s not a good thing.  Some stress, or eustress, will prompt them to work harder toward their full potential.  Distress will hinder them and make life harder for us all.  I pray my husband and I plus the schools get it right. 

Scheduling is another issue. Getting the children up and out the door without channeling Sargent Carter from the old Gomer Pyle TV show (“Move it!  Move it!  Move it!”) will be interesting. The Boy moves at his own pace, but he’ll rise to the challenge; he’s entering middle school and has done this all before.  My darling daughter, on the other hand, has only experienced the lackadaisical pace of preschool where it was no big deal if we were a little late.  As she enters “The Big Time” (aka elementary school), we’re going to HAVE to be on time, even if it means getting up at the crack of dawn to do so.  Plus, as much as I get her to bed early, this is a child who just cannot go to sleep before 9:30 p.m.  I’m hoping her body, tired out by a full day of school, will overtake her brain and she’ll pass out earlier.

In any case, life changes tomorrow.  The bag we use for the town pool gets packed away until next year.  Goodbye Northland!  Farewell Haines!  The car will be purged of sand toys and replaced with coloring books and crayons to keep the little one amused while her brother is at soccer practice.  The many projects I’ve put on hold because I couldn’t accomplish them with the kids at home should start to get done.  My diet, abandoned weeks ago in the throes of the pace of summer, is back on. 

Life goes on in lovely Livingston. To all the kids: have a great school year! To the teachers:  good luck with our precious children! And parents: congrats on surviving the summer. Bring on the Fall.