I'm struggling with sending my son to school. Big time...
School starts in three weeks and I have yet to sign my son up. Granted, it's just for pre-k, but thanks to the school shootings and unrest, every time I go online to sign him up, I freeze up. I'm definitely thinking about keeping him home another year with me. Maybe even homeschooling.
He's ready for kindergarten. He can read, write his name, color in the lines, and sit quietly for story time. So it's not like he needs the education part of it. But I know in my heart, he really needs the social part of it. But what good are social skills, if you're in a school shooting?
Oh, it makes my tummy turn when I think about it.
I just can't get my head around the fact that I live in America and I'm afraid to send my child to school. Truth be told, I've been begging my husband to move back to Australia. They don't have guns. They don't have school shootings. I would happily send my son to school in Australia.
Who would've thought I'd want to move away from the United States of America for a better life for my family? Especially, when that's what this country was built on. People coming for a better life. At least, that was the case at one time...
And with this incredibly jacked up Presidential election going on, I don't foresee peace and harmony being restored to the States anytime soon.
It's hard being a parent today. I lay in bed with my son every night and hold him close. I thank God for our warm bed, the roof over our head, and the peace I have in that moment with him, because the media is a constant reminder how of quickly that peaceful moment can be taken.
So here I am, a mother with a four-year-old child and afraid to send him to school. Even the both of us need that time away from each other. Even though I know it's the best thing for him. I can't help but want to keep him home with me in a bubble. Safe.
I know I have to send him to school. I know I have to let him grow up. I know I have to let him live. I know I can't let terrorism stop me from living. But holy shit it's so hard.
To all the parents who are battling the same thoughts and fears, my heart goes out to you because it's a really crappy place to be.
So here I am, a mother with a four-year-old child and afraid to send him to school. Even the both of us need that time away from each other. Even though I know it's the best thing for him. I can't help but want to keep him home with me in a bubble. Safe.
I know I have to send him to school. I know I have to let him grow up. I know I have to let him live. I know I can't let terrorism stop me from living. But holy shit it's so hard.
To all the parents who are battling the same thoughts and fears, my heart goes out to you because it's a really crappy place to be.
4 comments:
The chances are greater that a parent and child will get in a wreck on the way to school, or the child will choke on the lunch his parent made him (or school lunch), or a tornado will hit, or ....or.....or......So we as parents could avoid all that stuff- but that ain't living, sister. Oh, and I've witnessed the "active shooter" drills that are done at schools now (just like tornado drills, fire drills, earthquake drills), and I see safety as number one priority there- just as with those other drills I mentioned. My kids are safer at school than at some people's homes.
Thank you, C. I needed to hear that. All of that. It's so easy to live in the media tunnel. I'm going to go sign him up for school now. Before my bravery wears off. X
I will see you in Oz! 😜 Hubbs and I have also talked about contingency plans in the event that Trump is elected. Australia was certainly one of the options.
Ollie is reading too? That's amazing! Also, self-taught at 4 is unusual. Gifted, perhaps?
Mrs L! How great would that be!
Ollie is gifted. We were told that right at his 3rd birthday. When he read a few words from a story to his pediatrician at his 4yrold well baby check up, we were told to look into MENSA to get a better handle on his future. And we needed to understand that our son will need a different path through education than most kids. The school he went to last year, wanted to place him in Kindergarten this year! yea, no. He's still a kid! But the truth is, it's almost all self-taught. He truly want's to know and understand EVERYTHING! Nothing get's by this kid. nothing!
He recently stumbled onto LEGOS and learned to read the instructions and now that's ALL he wants to do. Something about it really feeds his need to learn and be challenged.
It's funny. You want your child to be gifted and smart, but, for me, it's created other challenges. We were also warned that Public school may be an issue since he will need to be constantly challenged and stimulated. I joke about trying to dumb him down over the next year so I can avoid paying an arm, leg and kidney for gifted education.
I don't talk about it on the blog b/c it's all new, and I don't want to say all the wrong things or come off bragging about having a smarty.
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