I vividly remember every year before the first day of school when I was young I would spend all night tossing and turning with butterflies in my stomach. Unlike most people, I didn’t dread school, in fact for me it was quite the opposite. I was so excited to see everyone and catch up after three months apart that I was simply too wound up to sleep.
Would all my friends be back this year? Would I like my teacher? Did I remember to grab a drink for my lunch? What kinds of stories would everyone have from vacation? Checking the clock a million times and begging myself to sleep, I finally would fall into a restless slumber, simply exhausted from all the scenarios running through my mind.
As my daughter is nearing starting elementary school, I find myself with butterflies all over again – but this time I have so much worry and doubt in addition to being excited. It’s not that I don’t think she will do well; she always has been a fast learner, an eager pupil, and has excelled in her years in pre-school. Mostly, it’s me.
