The big yellow school bus rolled down our street and for the first time in my 19 years as a parent, my baby was getting on that bus. The fact that she was 14 years old did not stop me from watching out the window as she walked to the bus stop or from feeling momentary panic when I turned away from the window for a minute, turned back, and she was gone.
Thank goodness for texting! (Did I really just say that, with 3 teens in my house?!) But, yes, it was reassuring to know that she was, in fact, on the bus and headed for the first day of her new high school adventure.
After spending her entire schooling experience at a tiny private school (and yes, I mean TINY – she was the only girl in a class of 6 last year), she was ready to spread her wings in a larger environment. Her older brother decided to make the shift as well, as they both wanted to experience a larger high school environment so that the transition to college might not be quite as dramatic.
I thought the first week would be tough – navigating the sea of people and the large building, classes 3-4 times larger than they were used to, and all the extras that come with a bigger school. But they sailed through it all, miraculously finding a familiar face in almost every class and enjoying the new variety of courses and teaching styles.
So, here I sit in my pajamas, drinking a cup of coffee as they begin their second week of school. I didn’t have to scramble to get dressed and get everyone to school before the tardy bell rang; I just watched as they casually strolled out the door headed to the bus stop. I’m sure we’ll hit some road blocks along the way, but for now, I’m enjoying the smooth ride. My babies are growing up, and – please forgive me for saying this – I am one proud mama!
