It feels like it was not too long ago that we had our babies, who are now this year’s newest VPK graduates. Completing preschool is a great accomplishment for our rising kindergartners and for us as mothers. We have taken so much care to raise them, and now we are beginning to see our children really shine. For all the mothers who are watching their child prepare for kindergarten while remembering what they were like in their early days, this one is for you.
And isn’t this what motherhood is through and through? Watching our children reach the next wonderful milestone, as we flash back to their previous stages. Always caught between what was then and what is now. We mourn the disappearance of the newborn scrunch as we excitedly watch them roll over for the first time. We watch in disbelief at how big our newly walking one-year-old looks in comparison to the newborn we were just carrying. And now, we are looking ahead to kindergarten. How does it all go so fast? While I can’t answer for the rapid passing of time, I can say with certainty that watching your children grow up truly keeps getting better. How fortunate we are to have these little people in our lives to cheer on and share in their eagerness for what is to come. There is much change in life and even more change in early childhood. But what stays the same is how mothers remember the past while welcoming what is next.
READ: How to Tell If Your Kid Is Ready for Kindergarten
Kindergarten preparation has immersed our children in a wonderful learning experience. They know much more now than they did when they began preschool. For parents, there are numerous articles and the sage advice of educators guiding us toward what our preschooler should know for kindergarten. There is no doubt that our students are ready to start kindergarten. But still, a variety of more personal questions circulate: Will they remember what they learned in preschool? Will they notice how much longer the day is? Will they enjoy school the same way they have been? Of course, we know our children will be happy and well prepared, but questions like these still arise. Mostly because, just as we did our best to prepare them to come into this world, we want to prepare them as best we can for every next step. We all experience this as mothers, and it is what we do, isn’t it? We think of our children always — whether in fond remembrance of their baby days or as we look ahead and prepare them for the next milestone. While taking care of our children’s educational needs is a priority, we find our devotion to them in the quieter, more personal consideration we give them.
READ: Dear Parent, From a Teacher: Tips for Entering Kindergarten
One day, as we watch our children graduate from high school, kindergarten will be the achievement we all look back on. How does it all go so fast? But right now, it’s giving us a bittersweet pause over the last five years with our child and how sweet all the early years and learning milestones have been. So, as we miss the old days with our once-new babies, let us also look ahead to the next exciting stage. Let us do what we do best and remember their beginnings as we celebrate them in their newest phase of life.
About the Author
Born in Southern California but raised in Florida from age 5, Paige Weber knows the Sunshine State as home. She was married to her husband right out of college in 2017, and from there it was a whirlwind of fun, chaos, and everything in between. Paige is an interior decorator, and while she still considers this her career path, being a mother and giving back to her community have taken the front seat in her life. She is a devoted stay-at-home mom to her three children and loves to spend time with her extended family, who also live locally. She is enthusiastic about helping others and is especially drawn to volunteering in centers for motherhood welfare. Paige has recently moved to Jacksonville and looks forward to continuing to explore the city and find ways to give back and get involved in the community. Between the busy days of motherhood and fulfilling the other roles in her life, Paige loves going to the beach, finding new coffee shops, and taking day trips with her family. If you see her out and about, feel free to say hi; she is always ready to chat and meet someone new!
