by Nancy Riddle-Mills
What are the 3 most beautiful words in the English language? “I love you”? Or “I forgive you”? Perhaps... But as a parent, I suggest “back to school” are pretty sweet words.
“Back to school” is a familiar and comforting routine: Get sports physical. Pay book and assorted school fees. Take a trip to Target for ‘stuff’. And voila, the student is ready to go.
“Back to school” means back to an “early to bed, early to rise” schedule. Everything else in life pretty much revolves around the all-powerful school calendar and the sacrosanct school day. The kids go back to their routine and parents return to theirs. It’s comforting.
But this year, our eldest child is heading off college. In another state. Pretty far away. Which seemed like such a good idea at the time. There’s no routine for this because we’ve never experienced it before. Everything is new. And exciting. And scary. Rather than coming to terms with my daughter being away at school, I’ve focused on getting her ready to go. In other words: shopping. I’m thinking that if I can send her off with the cutest, most color-coordinated bedding, bath towels and clothes hamper that her transition will be smooth and seamless.
But really, all this shopping is just my way of avoiding the fact that she’ll be living far away and I’m really going to miss her.
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