Confidence

It was only two years ago that I was agonizing over the decision of whether to put Katy into preschool, and where. Last week, she had her last day of preschool. And unexpectedly, I sobbed.

The good news is that I cried because I am confident that this was the best decision for her, because it has been such a great experience, and because I really love her school. And because now we're entering the next unknown, which is public kindergarten. Oh, how I hope that I'm crying the same kind of tears on her last day of that!

But truly, I was reflecting on how nice it is to feel confident about a decision for a change. Confidence is not my strong point. I doubt almost everything that I do all day every day (<----working on this). But on this side of the preschool experience, at least for our first child, this was a good one.

And I don't know why it was so bittersweet, because we'll be walking through those same doors in a few short months to bring David for his first day of preschool. But it's a milestone for sure, and Katy is maturing so quickly before my eyes (it's birthday week! Lots of 5 year old activity going on over here).

One of her teachers read this poem through her own tears:

I give you back your child, the same child you confidently entrusted to my care last August. I give him back pounds heavier, inches taller, months wiser, more responsible, and more mature then he was then.



Although he would have attained his growth in spite of me, it has been my pleasure and privilege to watch his personality unfold day by day and marvel at this splendid miracle of development.


I give him back reluctantly, for having spent nine months together in the narrow confines of a crowded classroom, we have grown close, have become a part of each other, and we shall always retain a little of each other.


Ten years from now if we met on the street, your child and I, a light will shine to our eyes, a smile to our lips, and we shall feel the bond of understanding once more, this bond we feel today.


We have lived, loved, laughed, played, studied, learned, and enriched our lives together this year. I wish it could go on indefinitely, but give him back I must. Take care of him, for he is precious.


Remember that I shall always be interested in your child and his destiny, wherever he goes, whatever he does, whoever he becomes. His joys and sorrows I’ll be happy to share. I shall always be his friend.


~Author Unknown