Ugh

Do I really have to send them to school again?

This is a short week, school started on Wednesday, and the idea of hauling them all up again and packing lunches… it’s more than I can handle on only one cup of coffee.

Thus far, this school year isn’t off to a rocking start.  Sammy is struggling with some major anxiety – his transition into third grade was not handled well at the end of last year, and he’s holding it together at school and a hot mess at home.  All of Jessie’s really close friends are NOT in her class, and so far – the only thing that seventh grade has done for her is introduce her to eighth grade bullies.

Maybe next week will be better.

It should – I’m an optimistic girl.  Julie starts kindergarten, and I love her teacher.  Love her.  (Which brings me back to being bitter about how badly Sam’s transition was bungled this year, and I start to spiral back into worry and bitterness…).  But next week should be easier.  I think it’ll help Sam to have Julie at the school with him.  I think it’ll help Julie to know that her big brother is there too (unless she pays too much attention to the fact that he hates school and has spent the past two nights begging me to quit my job and homeschool him).

Let’s try this again.

Things aren’t all that bad.  Sam has, in fact, gone to school every day so far.  Yes, there have only been two days, but it’s still better than it was when he started kindergarten.  And he loves recess.  Jessie is still happier at Goddard than she ever was at Flagg.  She’s excited about learning, ambitious about her future and happy to see her friends.   Julie is coming to work with me today, and Marc will pick her up before going to pick up the other two kids.  Then he’ll come home, and make a lovely Shabbat dinner for us.

Tomorrow is Saturday, and that’s even better.

Just because it’s a rough start doesn’t mean that the year itself will suck.  In fact, I’m sure it’s going to get much better.  Maybe we got all the crappy stuff right at the beginning and the rest of the year will be smooth sailing.

On the upside, next week, my childcare woes officially disappear (as long as Sam keeps going to school…), and I’ll officially transition to a working mom with all three kids in school.  Julie is going to love kindergarten – I’m really excited about watching my girl thrive.  I think she’s more ready than either of the other kids at this stage, because she’s so familiar with the school, with her teacher, and she’s been watching the older kids going all her life.

It’ll get better, it will, right?