Back to the Reality of Growing

It seems just like a sleep ago when summer began, now the first day of school is here! We have to get back into the routine of getting up early, going to school and doing homework. This morning, I had 2 alarm clocks going off, fifteen minutes after the other to make sure the entire household wakes up, and it worked. But, it was not a guarantee that everyone will be moving in a pace fast enough to cacth up with how fast time flies ESPECIALLY when you are in a crunch.

Well, we made, it, fifteen minutes early, and it was good that way because it is our first year to be in this new school -- new environment, new teachers, new classmates, new rules. I snapped a few pictures of my son outside the school, on the bench and while he was in line waiting for the rest of his classmates to arrive. He looked very comfortable -- quiet but comfortable. No sign of nervousness -- I had a feeling I had more nerves than him {lol}. I kept waving at him, calling his name, going up to him and checking up if he's OK -- well, he finally got tired of "mama-nerves" here and he politely whispered to me "Mama, could you please stop it!" .. hahaha .. I chuckled. OMG!! I really could not believe that this boy is going to be in first grade ALREADY??!!! Where has time gone?

Looking around his classmates, he seem to be the tallest and the most alert, with eyes wide open and standing tall. The other kids seem to still be in dreamland {so cute they all look!}.

There was a small child next to him which he accidentally bumped with his backpack loaded with snacks {sorry, I just want to make sure he doesn't get famished}. He kindly said, "Oh, I'm sorry", the child of course i'm sure was not hurt but did not gave my son a reply. A few minutes later, he turned around again, and noticing that the child seem to be quiet, my son said "Hi, my name is Adam {handing a hand to shake}. What's your name?". The other boy was darn as shy, blushing and very quietly mumbled an answer which I'm sure my son did not hear amidst all the noise in that gym. "It's ok, i'm new here too. We can be friends" Adam assured him.

I almost cried! OMG!! Was that really my son saying that? But of course I tried not to interfere with the somewhat "grown-up" attitude my son had at that moment. I don't even think he saw me watching him at that moment.

They all look so innocent, so care-free, so "fresh" to seize this first day of adventure. That is how I tell both of my children on what and why and how school is -- an ADVENTURE!! It is not how many stars and perfect scores you get from it, but how much of what you learn in it that you live with -- sort of deep for a first grader and a kindergartner but I believe it is never too early to teach our children the true values of school and life in general.

Just like life, there is no guarantee that school is going to be a breeze. There will be rough times, exams, projects, tough classmates and other things that are quite similar throughout in life. But, I tell them both, that the only difference is, when they are in school and are still small, "mama-nerves" will always be around them to help them out. Slowly, as they grow and become teenagers, they will have to learn how to deal with things by themselves, but of course, "mama-nerves" will still be around. But at that time, I shall try to just be a "wall flower" in their lives. Finally, when they become adults, "old-people" as they call them, they will have to let "mama-nerves" enjoy life and they will have to learn how to live by themselves -- like grown ups, like "old-people'. But I always tell them that "mama-nerves" will never leave them behind, that "mama-nerves" will always be around to help them or talk to them or to hug them or to kiss them if they need me. Even better, they don't even have to ask because "mama-nerves" will always give them "free hugs and kisses" all the time.

Many parents, me included, have so much distractions in life that it is so difficult to keep in focus what exactly is our priority or what exactly means a lot to us. If there is ONE thing we should always TRY to keep our focus on, it is our small children.

Learning does not end when the school bell rings at the end of the day. For that reason, learning does not only exist in the four corners of school, nor in the four corners of a book, or in the primordial season of summer. Children are in a perpetual state of learning things that has nothing to do with school. They learn even without paying attention. They learn more from what they live than form what is told to them by anyone else..

That is true then for parents, or any parental-image that the child may have, who spend time with them and living life as they would want this child with grow to be. Parents who attend to their religious obligations and make their life a statement of their faith teach their children that there is more than the artifical intelligence of modern technology and computers. Parents who give their time and talent teach their children that there can be so much joy and satisfaction from what they already have than having to get some more. Imagination is such a very satisfying human skill that is free and should be molded upon each child -- this can take each child into the inner depth of the deep sea or the light-years of the galaxy!

Children love to observe and absorb what goes around them, without much effort.

Seeing my son in that school line, I thought to myself, I must have done a great job -- the politeness, the kindness, the simple joy of making other people feel welcome -- all those sorts of things that my son had shown me, makes me want to say that he will be OK, he will be just fine.

Off we go to our new adenture!