the superhero backpack
Our school year has officially begun. We started back at our Classical Conversations homeschool community (kids meet once a week with their peers in a classroom setting). This year we are tackling K, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th. My oldest started back about 3 weeks ago and was already on campus when we took the picture below. I’m sure he didn’t mind.
To make the morning go smoothly, I told the kids to lay their clothes out the night before. My eldest daughter put her outfit out in the most organized way. When I asked the boys where their clothes for the next day were, they responded they had them on. They go for efficient and less effort. I kind of miss the days they let me dress them in super cute outfits to mark the first day of school…it is gym clothes 24/7 around here. Not a battle I’m going to fight, know what I mean?!
The longer I am a mom, the more I don’t care about some things and care far deeper than I dreamed about other things. When my boys were younger, it drove me a little crazy when they wanted cartoon everything…backpacks, shoes, shirts, pajamas. My oldest has always preferred plain stuff – just a gray tshirt for him, but then my second son came along. He wanted Lightning McQueen EVERYTHING. I would avoid shopping with him just so he wouldn’t ask for one more Lightning McQueen shirt..I mean c’mon son let’s try Baby Gap.
When my third son arrived, I had loosened up quite a bit. I was learning there are far more important things to help my kids avoid than a shirt with an animated character on it. My youngest son was a superhero fan. He liked the costumes and all the shirts. Then all the sudden he didn’t.
Moms of little ones – it happens fast. One day they are running around the kitchen in an Ironman costume with fake muscles, the next day they are in the kitchen eating their 5th bowl of cereal with actual muscles popping out of their arms.
One minute they want all the Lighting McQueen things and the superhero backpack.
The next minute they sweetly ask for a new backpack…just a plain black one. And your heart might break a little bit. At least that is the way it felt for me this week.
I’m going to miss that superhero backpack, but goodness do I love the 8 year old carrying the plain black one. One day I’ll probably miss these days – where my boys could care less what they wear (or if it is even clean). Kids grow and change and we grow and change alongside them. What an extraordinary privilege it is to be a parent or one involved in the life of a child!
