by Melissa Face
I was worried about the start of school this year. I wasn’t sure how the kids would do without me. And honestly, I wasn’t sure if I would be okay without them.
This summer was an emotional one for us. I lost my grandmother, and my children experienced death for the first time in their young lives
Aside from two long weekends and an overnight stay, we were always together.
Every. Single. Day.
And even though they often drove me nuts, I wasn’t ready for them to be under the supervision of someone who cannot possibly love them as much as I do.
From mid-June to early September, we were both captain and director of our summer cruise ship. We decided when it was meal time, how long we could stay at the pool, and how many snacks we could consume each afternoon.
We set no limits.
On September 3, our ship docked and the all-inclusive vacation ended abruptly. My little passengers embarked on new adventures in kindergarten and third grade. They had their own set of concerns at first: Would classmates be kind? What would the teacher be like? Who would we sit with at lunch? Would the new itinerary allow time for multiple snacks?
Evan was especially concerned about the increased rigor and the first year of SOL testing. Delaney was more worried about the change in her sleep pattern. “I’m not a wake-up kind of girl,” she reminded me the night before.
Fortunately, their fears were minimized once they arrived at school, found their seats, met their teachers, and reached out to make new friends.
The first week, though it was only a three-day week, was smooth sailing. They had virtually no adjustment period, and I found myself, once again, saying, “They are okay. They are strong kids who deal well with change.”
For the next few months, Evan and Delaney will be at sea, learning new skills, creating new bonds, and taking in new experiences.
And in December, they will return to me for a couple of weeks. We will sleep in, watch movies, bake cookies, and enjoy the freedom of setting our own schedule again.
I can’t wait to welcome them back aboard.
Melissa Face 