Not “just” Preschool

When I heard schools are closed in Illinois for the remainder of the school year in Illinois, I immediately thought of all of the seniors in high school who will miss all of those rites of passage that I remember so fondly. I thought of kids missing 8th grade graduation. I even thought of kids in kindergarten who are missing the end of the first year of “real school”.
Then I thought about my son who is missing the end of preschool. I thought, its “just preschool.”
Upon reflection, its so much more.
My son spent 2 years in this school. Largely with the same group of friends. It was his first experience away from me. It was my first experience away from him.
Preschool is where my son learned to sit still. He learned to pay attention. He learned to share, take turns. Heck, preschool is where my son learned to use the potty.
There are so many memories. His first school picture, wet jeans and all (see also, learned to use the potty). The first time he wrote his name. The first time he told us our address. The time when he got in the car and told me he was in love with another student. The day his baby sister was born and how proud he was to show her off for the first time. Birthday cupcakes, songs, countless art projects, and best friends for life.
Its not “just” preschool. It is preschool. And its important. For our family, preschool has been so much more than just a place to drop our kids off to learn and play. The teachers became like family. The other parents became friends. Other children became reliable playmates. In a year that has been incredibly difficult for our family preschool offered a sense of normalcy. A steady and consistent place for my son to just be a kid.
I have so many videos that made life long memories. The time my son literally screamed the words to jingle bells so loud and hard his face turned beet red. The time he counted to 800, for no reason at all. There are countless stories that never fail to make us all laugh.
It wasn’t supposed to end like this. He fondly remembers his big sister’s graduation. The children’s faces on cupcakes. The songs. He won’t get that experience and I think it is ok to feel sad about that. Closure is important and these kids are kind of left hanging.
I know my son has plenty of time for big things. I know there will be many more graduations and end of school year activities. There will never be another preschool and that is sad.
So next time I think “its just preschool” I’m going to extend myself grace. Its not just anything, its so much more and it is important. Thankfully it’s the beginning, not the end. The memories we’ve made aren’t going anywhere. The friendships will continue. The teachers will remain an important part of our life. And we will do some kind of celebration to mark this transition for my son.
Its not just preschool. Its his first school. And I am forever grateful for the teachers who made the experience so wonderful. I know he has a firm foundation to build on. I know he will be successful as he moves on because of the experience he had in preschool. There are so many amazing things to come.
Stay healthy and safe with your families. Extend yourself grace during this time. There are so many changes, things being missed, adjustments to what we thought and assumed would be. Practice love, understanding, patience. And most of all know that we are all wading through this weird water together. No one knows what they are doing. We are all, truly, in this together.