Moving On…

Today was graduation day for my 5^th grader.  As of tomorrow, I no longer have a child in elementary school. I’m not sure I have grasped the reality of that!  Elementary school is a time of innocence for most children.  I always tell parents that Kindergarten is a “magical place” and I hope that the magic stays with them throughout elementary school.  That is the hope that I have had for Drew.  Drew has never loved school, but he has loved his teachers and that is so significant.

Today I am thankful for all of Drew’s teachers who helped him throughout his years at Tuscan.  Drew and I went to all of his teachers before school today and got a photo of him with most of them.  He has fond memories of all of them and I hope that he can carry those memories with him throughout life.  I can still remember so many of my teachers from elementary school.  When a teacher has a positive impact on you – it makes an everlasting impression.  I know that these teachers have left a positive impression on Drew.   I was fortunate to be a teacher in the same school as him, which created wonderful memories for me, and although he won’t admit it now, I hope that some day when he looks back on this time, these will be wonderful memories for him as well.

Fifth grade graduation is a pivotal occasion for both children and parents. It marks the end of an era, and the beginning of those “tween years.”  He’s not grown up yet, but he is getting there. Already having one son who has gone through this, has allowed me a preview of what I should expect, but Drew is my baby!  I am not sure I am ready for this but it is inevitable.  My gratefulness for the years he has spent at Tuscan are immeasurable.  Years of happy days, (and difficult ones too), were all days that made him grow into the amazing kid he is today.  He has reached a milestone in his life.

I know that middle school is going to have its ups and downs.  I know that he will not be coddled as he was in elementary school.  It is time for him to grow up.  I am sure that he will become more responsible and accountable for his work. The workload will increase and he will have to learn to manage his time more usefully.

For now though, he has the summer, only a few more months of being my “little boy”.  There are not going to be many more days where he will let me allow him to be that little boy, so for now, I will take every opportunity that I can get while he still lets me!!

Tagged: elementary school graduation, kindergarten, magical place, middle school, Stacia Tauscher, teacher's impact, teachers