But Mommm: Back-to-School

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It’s hard to believe that week one of the new school year is behind us. Where did that summer go? As I start setting the alarm earlier, emptying backpacks and packing lunches, it’s hard not to reflect on how much change our family is experiencing right now.

If you’ve been following this blog over time, you know that for the last three years we have been absolutely blessed to have a Nanny who came to our house every day. When our girls were small they were in a YMCA daycare setting and after our third was born, we hired one of their teachers to be the person who took care of them during the day at our place. She is family. She has been a rock for me as I navigated the world of three small children, a career and a husband who was often travelling for work during the week.

The truth is that I’ve always been hesitant to use the word “Nanny” because I actually worried what people would think. For us, with three kids who are relatively close in age, the math made sense for the early years. The kids are older now. Two of them are in school. It was time for a change for her and for us. It was time for our youngest to be around kids his own age.

So here we are. September 2014. Our girls, who have always been at home before and after school, are now being cared for by a wonderful neighbour outside of school hours. Our son, who has known nothing outside of our Nanny since he was eleven months old, is now in a full-time pre-primary program at the Halifax Independent School.

And do you know what the truth is? I think the kids are handling it better than me.

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The girls now leave the house 45 minutes earlier in the morning than they used to. This morning they were up and dressed right away. Our older daughter took it upon herself to make waffles for her sister while I got our son ready. He is the one who has truly blown my mind. Outside of walking his sisters to school, he’s never had a real routine. Suddenly he’s getting up and dressed, having to eat, packing a backpack and heading out the door for a full day of classes and activities. He’s handled it like a champ. It makes me teary-eyed just thinking about it.

And then there’s me. I’ve always packed their lunches so that’s not new. What is new is the rush. My husband and I used to be the ones walking out the door and now we’re all walking out the door. We used to drive from work to home and now we’re doing pick-ups and managing pick-up deadlines. School has been in session for four days and today I will do my second conference call from the parking lot at our son’s school because if I don’t, it’ll end too late and I won’t make all of my timelines to get the kids.

If it sounds like I’m complaining, I’m really not. I’m dealing with change and I’m feeling so very thankful and appreciative of what we’ve had for the last number of years. The kids lived a Stay-At-Home life with two working parents for their first few years and it has been incredible for them. And, judging by the way they are all handling their new care and school arrangements, it’s clear they were also ready for this change.

The jury’s out on me though. I did my drop-offs, drove over the bridge, parked and walked into Scotia Square before I realized I’d left my laptop at home today. I also didn’t eat breakfast, forgot to put my necklace on and I have no idea what I was thinking with this shoe choice. Guess I’m rolling back the alarm clock another 15 minutes until I get this right.

Deanna is a Mom of three, wife, marketer and blogger – lover of travel, morning coffee, family time, belly laughs, good friends and uninterrupted showers! Follow her on twitter @DeannaCMiller

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