First Day of School Excitement ... Or Not!

My son hates school. I know this because I had to give him a friendly forewarning that school starts tomorrow. Yikes, why is mom always the bad guy. I should have had Grandma or his father do it. If today was any indication then tomorrow will go like this: I will practically have to peel him out of his bed in the morning. And if that's not indication enough that he doesn’t want to go, then the foreseen moaning and temper tantrum little thing like making a fist in the dead air would ensue, preceding a comment like “ School Sucks! Oh, did I swear?” And then terrible regret that he swore. “It’s okay," I will say, "just this once.”

No, my boy is a summer kid. We live in Plymouth, MA (home of the Pilgrims) and summer is the thing we do here. Beaches, ponds, tourists, restaurants ... Oh, and by the way, and because you just might ask, Plymouth Rock is not a sight to see. It's just a rock, and a little one at that. Whenever relatives or friends come to visit and they see the “Rock” for the first time, well let’s just say their comments usually follow: “That’s it!?”

So go see Plimoth Plantation (No typo, it’s spelled this way in remembrance of the first Governor who couldn’t spell). It’s a place to visit and a day's worth of fun. At least you get to meet some of the people from 1620; visit their house; listen to what they do and eat all day; hear and see their life. And afterwards thank God/or Someone that we live in the 21-century!! What would they do with kids with special needs? I always think that when I visit a place that represents our history. I haven’t been to Plimoth Plantation since I was a kid, however, but I’d be curious to ask them that question: Where are all the little special needs pilgrims, just curious?

I, however, looked forward to the first day of school. I didn’t love school, but there was something about the first day that was exciting: New wardrobe, lunch box, shoes, even the first day smells were different. Cool and dark in the morning, like it’s a new world instead of just another summer’s day; with a pang of nervous excitement that nothing could cure, especially breakfast. Knowing that I would meet my new teachers, see some new and old friends (always had a new best friend every year, funny how that was).

Middle school was much the same as elementary; high school and all of its usual nightmares that came along with those teenage years: a cheerleader just to fit in with the "cool" kids; preppy clothes with alligators on the front of them; corduroys; duck shoes; ribbons in my hair (and that was high school); forcing on my fall clothes in the heat of (still) summer—so not looking forward to Nick’s first day of 9th grade next year. His doctor even recommends keeping him on his meds (for anxiety) up until the passing of next year, at least.

No, there’s nothing like the very first day of school … well at least for the kids, but for moms everywhere … “Yahoo!” instead of “School Sucks” might be echoed from sea to shining sea, if only in a whisper!!

So just hanging out on the day before school begins and I’m thinking that Nick doesn't smell that air of excitement. No, he’s moping and wondering, “When’s vacation?”


Here I've added first day of school stress reducers for all of those who might be going thought the same kind of day.