Can I handle the seasons of my life? Well, I’ve been afraid of changin’ ‘Cause I’ve built my life around you But time makes you bolder Even children get older And I’m getting older, too Yes, I have “built my life around you” but why was I sobbing in the car when only days before I was pulling my hair out counting the hours until their first day? Because it’s normal! Thankfully, that was the only time I cried, and my boys had a great first day. But those firsts of leaving your child can be challenging for every parent.
First-Day Jitters
Emily Popek, 40, of Oneonta, NY went through the same thing when she dropped off her daughter at daycare for the first time. She admitted her nerves were frayed, saying, “There were so many rules and regulations to remember (label the bottles, put her change of clothes in her cubby, etc.) and I was super scared that I would mess something up. She was only 5 months old, so I also worried that she would cry and be upset the whole time I was at work. I remember, I was actually shaking when I walked up to the building!” Turns out the staff was wonderful and Popek knew her baby was in good hands, but it was a new and unfamiliar chapter in their lives. Something all parents will face with their kids. Popek shares that it was actually much harder for her husband. “He still misses our daughter terribly when he’s at work and she’s 6 years old now. I tend to compartmentalize things, so when I’m at work, I don’t think about home at all, or vice versa, which has made the emotional side of things a bit easier for me I think.”
6 Tips to Help Cope
Leaving your child at daycare or at school for the first time and feeling apprehensive and emotional is completely normal. It’s the first of many “letting go” moments as children grow. More: Separation Anxiety More: Starting Kindergarten: How to Prepare Your Child Today, Popek’s daughter is finishing up her first year of Kindergarten. Popek shares, “It’s bittersweet, to be sure, but seeing her grow up and develop new confidence and skills has been absolutely wonderful.” Looking for ways to cut down on morning stress? We have 9 Morning Routine Hacks to Get Your Kids to the Bus on Time
