Albuquerque Newborn Photographer | First Day of School was yesterday. I have been excited and terrified for my kids, given the past year and a half. My husband and I have kept them home since the beginning of the shutdown. My daughter finished Kindergarten virtually. She started 1st Grade and completed the entire year virtually. She took her school photos, with “Mom” because there was no other option.

My son, stopped Daycare in March 2021, so we he never attended preschool. Yesterday was his first day of Kindergarten. For a few months I have been so nervous for him. He has really not be social with anyone other than his sister. More recently we were able to see family again, but no schooling or structure for about 17 months. The days leading up to the first day I was fearing the drop off. Being that parents can’t go into the school with them anymore, I didn’t think I was going to be able to get him out of the car.

We did the best we could on curbing his anxiety. So much redirecting the morning of. I could hear his voice crackle every time the nerve got the best of him. But when it came time to get out of the vehicle he jumped out with excitement, waved and walked away hand in hand with his sister. I was blown away. That alone made me tear up. I couldn’t see them walk all the way in, so that was nerve wracking.

I had to wait all day to see if he would make it on the right bus to get home. The bus was an hour late (first day of school) but here he was waving in excitement that he got to ride the school bus for the first time, like his sister. This morning, there wasn’t even a hug goodbye, just a race to the bus seats.

To say this was unexpected is an understatement. My son is a mama’s boy, through and through. I love it, but it made me so scared for him. We have been sheltering them for so long, I didn’t realize how much he needed this. And evenmoreso, how much he was ready for it. I have never been so proud of him. And his big sister for that matter. She was his rock and he was so happy to have her by his side. Okay, cue the mom tears.