A Letter to the Mom Sending Her Child to Kindergarten for the First Time

To the mom about to send her kid to kindergarten for the first time: I see you. I’ve been you. And my heart breaks for you.

Time has never moved faster. You’ve gone through the newborn, sleep-deprived stage, the toddler tantrums, the 3-year-old adventures, and the incredible brain growth as a preschooler, and now it’s time for one of the biggest milestones of their (and your!) lives — starting kindergarten. Suddenly, you’re inundated with school supply lists and planning lunches and making sure your child knows how to wipe themselves in the bathroom. How is it possible you are about to be a mom of a grade schooler?!

We’ve all seen pictures of influencers lining up their kids’ toys to wish their 5-year-olds off to school on the first day, and we've sobbed with friends who’ve gone through it. Now, whether you're ready or not, it’s finally your turn. As a mom who's been there (twice) and will be there again next year, I’ll be honest with you: the first day never gets easier. Seeing their tiny bodies wobbling under the weight of their too-big backpacks as they walk through the school doors is a memory that still brings me to tears.

But it’s not all bad; in fact, you are both in for one of the most exciting years, full of memories you’ll cherish forever.

From picking out their new backpack and crayons to seeing their classroom for the first time, your child’s excitement about this new step in life will definitely rub off on you. When my eldest son first went to kindergarten, I loved picking him up and hearing his excited chatter about the friends he met, the art he created, and the games he played on the playground. The day he read me his first book made me so emotional — he was beaming, so proud of himself and what he had learned at school that day.

Kindergarten is just so much fun. They have dress-up days and alphabet parades, and their first field trips. Valentine’s Day parties and school dances and Field Days and so much more. They learn skills that make them more confident and independent, like how to open their lunch box, put on their own jackets, find their classroom, and bravely introduce themselves to new kids. It's an incredible transformation, and you'll constantly be surprised by how much they grow throughout the year.

It's OK to be sad on the first day (or month — who's counting?) of your child starting kindergarten. Take yourself out for coffee or a Target run after drop-off and try to enjoy a free morning doing something you used to love before becoming a mom. But don't dwell in sadness, constantly worried about how fast your baby is growing up. Kindergarten is a huge, exciting, core-memory-making time for your child, and it helps to join in on their excitement and anticipation. Rather than missing out on this time by mourning, try your best to get to know your (slightly) older child and watch them bloom.

Trust me: there is always a stage your child has left behind that will make you feel nostalgic. But if you find new ways to love each new milestone and age — even through the adult years — you will be much happier and prouder of your little one.

You can do it, Mama. Just take it one drop-off at a time.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock.com