Keeping it Real

WRITTEN BY BLAIR FJESETH

I would love to remake “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper featuring a gaggle of moms singing a cover version called “School’s Back.” I can picture us moms rolling up to school in our minivans and SUVs, high-waisted jeans, messy buns, sipping vanilla lattes (with sugarfree syrup, of course), a pep in our step as we escort our babies off to their new classrooms. Just thinking about my kids going back to school after a hot summer preceded by 15 months of COVID-times makes me want to aggressively fist pump into the air.

Gone are the hybrid “school from home” days, zoom classes, maskwearing, washing and quarantine periods that derailed already hectic schedules. Not to mention the three summer months of shuttling to and from camps and clubs, sports, water parks, regular parks, birthday parties and campouts.

If being overly excited to send my kids away for seven hours is wrong, I don’t want to be right. I love my kids more than the air in my lungs, but we’ve had a lot of together-time lately, and I have a sneaking suspicion they are just as excited as I am to get back into the swing of school.

And while starting another school year is a painful reminder that our precious babies are growing up too quickly, that pain quickly fades with the reminder that back to school means routines, decent bedtimes and not worrying if your kids are reading and writing enough during the day. There should be no mom guilt or mom shame for being relieved that our children are back in school full-time with educated, trained, experienced teachers who know what they are doing.

I’ll admit, I was a complete wreck at my eldest’s first kindergarten dropoff in 2019. In fact, I wrote a very long column about checking in on my friends with kindergartners because we were probably all in the fetal position, ugly crying in the back of our minivans. I feel more confident and excited for this new chapter. My middle child is finally starting kindergarten and my oldest son will be in second grade for what I hope will be his first normal and complete school year. I like to think I’ve transitioned from the “they are leaving me and growing up” mindset to the “look at how amazing they have become and how quickly they learn new things” phase, and that is a great feeling.

We get so few “first-day” drop-offs with our children; even fewer where they allow us to dote on them. No matter how you are feeling about back to school, it is normal and acceptable – no mom shame here. Just remember to savor the moment, take all the photos, cry if you need to, hug them tight, feel good that they are learning, making friends and becoming incredible humans capable of anything.

You got this, mama!

Blair Fjeseth is a working professional and proud Montana mom. You can reach her at blairparker. inc@gmail.com. Follow her Instagram @blair_mt for more adventures.