My great grandson Kael starts kindergarten in two weeks. My great grandson in school, I can hardly believe it. It is a new beginning for him, but for me, it is a ritual that I have participated in many times.
I don't remember my own first day of school, but I remember my youngest sister's for several reasons. It was very traumatic for her. She was a beautiful little girl with long curly strawberry blonde hair. The newspaper published a picture of her sobbing. I remember it too, because I was called out of class to come comfort her. The strange thing is that I remember that better than the first day of school for my own three children.
I have the pictures of each of them dressed in their new outfits standing outside the house before leaving for school. We always went on vacation in August so their new vacation clothes served as their new school clothes. I remember the fun of shopping for school supplies as I mentioned in an earlier post called "The New Pencil Box."
If I remember correctly, the schools did not send home a list weeks ahead of time like they do now. For a kindergartner now, there is a list of over 25 items some very specific as to brand and type. It gets worse as the grades progress. For my kids, I remember the pencil boxes. Do they even make pencil boxes any more? I'm sure my children did not have backpacks until they were in junior high.
My children were lucky. They did not have to be bussed to school. We lived just down the street from the grade school. They were even able to walk to their middle school. Of course, that was a disadvantage when my oldest son decided one day in second grade that he had had enough school and walked home.
Later, when my grandchildren started school, (where do the years go?) my participation was limited to helping with the new clothes and school purchases and enjoying vicariously the stories their parents told.
Now a great grandchild. The world comes full circle. I may be around to see a great great grandchild if I'm lucky, but I doubt I will be participating in the back to school ritual. It is just one of the many rites of passage we enjoy if we are lucky enough.
