Just four more days…

Just four more days of kindergarten for Wren. How did we get here? Wasn’t it just this time last year that I was worrying about her starting? Would she have friends? Would she be happy? How can it be the end?

I’ve written more than once, that being a teacher mom is hard…heck-parenting is tricky in general! There were moments this year that I had to bite my tongue, sit on my hands, and close my eyes. But thankfully, those moments were sprinkled among so many moments of joy. The joy of watching my big girl grow as a friend, a learner, and a person. I remember clearly how Wren came home from school after the first or second day. She looked up at me with her big brown eyes and said, “Making friends is hard.” I held her close, my own eyes brimming with tears. How I wanted to march in and help her. Instead, we had to brainstorm things she could say and do. Then we practiced, “Can I play too?”

This past week, driving home from school, Wren and I were talking about the end of kindergarten. Fortunately, or unfortunately, she’ll be attending a different school in town next year. We talked about what it would be like to leave behind her current school and all the people she has come to love. Wren thought hard about what she could do to say thank you and goodbye. In the end, she decided to end the year by giving all of her favorite teachers, a kissing hand bracelet. This was something we started together before she started school in the fall. We had read The Kissing Hand and tied little heart beads onto strings around our wrists, a little reminder that we were always close by if we needed each other.

In true Wren fashion, as soon as we got home from school, she was busy collecting supplies and setting up her work station at the kitchen table. Before I even had a chance to check in with her, she had written a note to her teachers.

Dear ____,

    Thank you for loving me. Here is a kissing hand for you.

Love,

Wren

What more could a parent ask for from a school year? We photocopied twenty copies of this letter and Wren has filled each blank line in with a name of someone she truly feels loves her and that she loves in return-including her teacher, the paraprofessionals, her special area teachers, the custodian, and the office secretary. Sure, she has learned to read, write, and do math. But it is the joy and the energy that she brings to and from each day that I admire most. That isn’t something that comes from the curriculum being taught or the supplies or resources available. This comes from the people. I am forever grateful.

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Published by Jessica Carey

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I'm a mom of three daughters and a literacy coach in CT. I love to learn and share with others.

15 thoughts on “Just four more days…”

  1. This is just beautiful….again…..And you are right, it is the people who make the difference. People like Wren make the difference. You make the difference. Her teachers make the difference. Thanks for this post. I needed a happy, uplifting post today.

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  3. I’d love to watch her teachers be on the receiving end of Wren’s gifts! You’re a great mom–nope, we can’t march in and fix their worlds, so we give them the best tools we can to deal with all they come across. My oldest is 22, and she just said to me, “I got this, Mom. It’s nothing you can do.” The goal is that they outgrow us.

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  4. “That isn’t something that comes from the curriculum being taught or the supplies or resources available. This comes from the people.” There is so much to love about his post but this quote reminds me of the importance to put the students first and all else will happen!

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  5. What a special story! And what a special little girl! I love that at such a young age, she already knows how to express her gratitude to others. I’ll bet the recipients of those bracelets and notes will keep them for a long time.

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  7. Oh, I love every bit of Wren’s story! Such beauty and wisdom and compassion. And I think that all comes from Mom! 🙂 With a little help from those amazing teachers and staff at her school. Thank you for sharing her story here today. I needed this little does of sunshine and love!

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  9. “But it is the joy and the energy that she brings to and from each day that I admire most” followed by “This comes from the people” that is the truth! This slice, and Wren, are a reminder to all that our interactions and relationships with children are at the heart of our work. Thanks for sharing!

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  10. It is such a joy to read about you and your girls! That’s why I keep coming back. This post fills my cup in a special way – the warmth, care, gratitude and love radiate throughout. I’ve mixed my metaphors, I’m so taken! Thank you for sharing this bit of sunshine.

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