Without a Backward Glance
By on February 1, 2010 9:00 PM
Today is the day when most Australian children return to school and resume their studies. It also happens to be Hoovers very first day of school. To say that our little girl has been dreaming about this day for a very l-o-n-g time is a complete and utter understatement.
The little darling has had to sit back and watch her older brother skip through the school gate and amble off towards his schoolmates for years. She has also had to sit through countless school assemblies, watch her big brother receive umpteen awards and sit through numerous school concerts and swimming carnivals.
This day couldn't have come any sooner for the poor love!
A little part of me hoped that she would be tearful and clingy and that she may even protest or show some sign of distress. But no, not my girl! She confidently hung her backpack onto its designated hook, greeted her teacher with the cheesiest of grins and waved me off without even a backward glance.
Gutted is how I feel!
I breastfeed that child for over two years, so to ensure that a proper emotional attachment would form. I also chose to become a stay at home mama, forsaking my brilliant career and the dream of further studies, as I did not want either of my children to go to day care. One would think that there would be some level of separation anxiety after five years of constantly shadowing mama?
But no, not a trace - nothing, naught, niente, zip, zero, zilch, xejn, nada!
My girl is gone and the silence is almost deafening.
The little darling has had to sit back and watch her older brother skip through the school gate and amble off towards his schoolmates for years. She has also had to sit through countless school assemblies, watch her big brother receive umpteen awards and sit through numerous school concerts and swimming carnivals.
This day couldn't have come any sooner for the poor love!
A little part of me hoped that she would be tearful and clingy and that she may even protest or show some sign of distress. But no, not my girl! She confidently hung her backpack onto its designated hook, greeted her teacher with the cheesiest of grins and waved me off without even a backward glance.
Gutted is how I feel!
I breastfeed that child for over two years, so to ensure that a proper emotional attachment would form. I also chose to become a stay at home mama, forsaking my brilliant career and the dream of further studies, as I did not want either of my children to go to day care. One would think that there would be some level of separation anxiety after five years of constantly shadowing mama?
But no, not a trace - nothing, naught, niente, zip, zero, zilch, xejn, nada!
My girl is gone and the silence is almost deafening.
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Goodness, brought tears to my eyes! That picture is just so adorable wow, He's holding her hand too. She got a star. oh so so beautiful. Congrats on this milestone the first of many in her journey.
Only 21 months between ours. L is so different form T, He is quietly confidently and collected and always slightly hesitant & stubborn, and she, at only 6 months, is cheeky and playfully persistent.
You are very brave too :) and have obviously instilled in H a sense of self worth and confidence, She could only get that from her mama
xoxo
i'm fighting back the tears too! such a sweet post! i agree with mrskan...it's obvious you did a great job with Hoover. she's far more confident that most other children her age and her brother's so sweet and protective! i hope you manage to see this new phase in her life and yours as an opportunity to write more posts and share more lovely photos! :-D now's also your time to shine like a star, if only during school hours! ;-)
I'm right there with you. When I took our daughter to her first day of school, she just said "bye Mom" and ran off to play. I was dismissed. I shed a few tears in the car but was mainly glad that we'd raised an independent Miss. After all, that's our job right?
Oh bless! What a sweet post! Love the photo; they look sooo cute together.
This is so lovely! The picture is worth well over a thousand words! I remember feeling the mix of feelings: thrilled that my son loved school yet sad he let go of my hand so happily!
And is this Star for the daughter or for the mother? You did just fine, Nanette!
Oh, such a lovely post! She's a brave and independent girl! You must be so proud of her! I like the first photo, so cute.
Awwwwww... Nanette my babies are now 23 and 20, they both went off to school confident and never looked back. They loved school and did well and as heartbreaking as it was then and still today, we raised confident, outgoing children who did well at school and are turning out to be young women I'm very proud of. You obviously have done a wonderful job so far. Be proud and go pamper yourself for a few hours in celebration!! Hugs x
That picture really says it all. What a beautiful post Nanette!
Oh Nanette, how adorable are your children. They are going to treasure that photograph when they're older. I know I would!
Oh dear! Hope you're OK! ;)
It's fantastic she loves school so much though!
Love the picture!
Just lovely how they walk together, great shot. So familiar how you feel... you'll have many more of the milestones to experience, but you'll remember all of them! I still can remember that deafening silence from lots of years back :)
Thanks bella! Cherish every day you have with your precious two as they will both be at school sooner than you know!
Thanks sabiha for your words of encouragement and your friendship - it means a lot to me!
I'm so proud of her independence, yet at the same time there is an obvious grieving process involved. Bittersweet is what it is!
Thank you bella!
Moments like this are so bittersweet. As for the Star she stuck it up on the kitchen wall for me so I can look at it while she's at school!
Thanks Sarka, I am incredibly proud of my brave and independent little school girl!
Oh thanks Colleen, it's encouraging to know that it all pays off in the end!
Thank you Mardi!
Thanks bella, I think they're pretty incredible if I may so myself!
Lien I think one of the main reasons why our girl has had such an easy transition into school life is because she is now at school with her big brother.