Dear Old Golden Rule Days

So excited for his first day of nursery school

Today marked Bebe Birds second first day of school...ever. (Here is the story of his first).  As summer gently departed making room for the  autumn breezes and falling leaves it took with it the carefree days I've become so accustomed to and thoroughly enjoyed.

Enrolling Bebe Bird for 3 half day nursery school classes wasn't my first choice.  "He's only 2.5 years old" I told myself.  "Ill never get this time back"  I reminded myself. All I want to do is soak in all the moments before grammar, middle & high school take over.  I felt the same way last year when he began his one day a week  2 hours a day nursery school. It was a gradual separation class that seemed to be as much for the parents as it was for the children.  By the end of the school year he was going 2 days and never looked back when we dropped him off.  All summer long he would ask for his teacher or "Escuela" (it's a spanish immersion nursery school).  He would sign all the songs he learned from class and in the mornings we often found ourselves sitting in a circle (he, me and the cat) belting out "Buenos Dias".  But the apprehension of the 3 days a week still lingered in the background.

Wearing his new Adidas sneaks while riding to school

When we awoke this morning the mention of going to escuela made him squeal with excitement and he hurried on his scooter  to make it to school on time.  He ran into the classroom when the doors opened to welcome the students.  Seeing his teacher, the same teacher from last year, brought such joy to his beautiful face.  I felt joy.  He was happy to be there. He wanted to be there.  I began feeling a little better.  Then a close friend, who is also a family therapist, introduced me to a brand new concept that she will be focusing on when her son begins his first days of preschool. It's her "Self Care Year".  This idea was brand new me.  A Self Care Year, she explained, is a time to focus on "you",  like starting (and finishing) a book, going to therapy sessions, yoga classes, work outs, writing etc. It's time to nourish your being and by doing so you will bring nourishment to those around you.  I could do that! So, today as I waved adios to my enthusiastic nursery schooler I greeted my Self Care time with equal enthusiasm and curiosity.  Allowing me to blow kisses to those carefree summer days and welcome a brand new season.

Bebe Bird and Z on their first day of school