This morning, my oldest son went to meet his new preschool teacher. He was up really early, excited for the new adventure, had a special breakfast and was begging to go to school an hour before it was time to leave. 
His excitement and enthusiasm were refreshing and made the prospect of a new school year much easier for his dad and me. I know there are many parents struggling to get their children to even consider walking into a school building much less sit through even a couple hours of preschool. We’re fortunate to have a son who LOVES school and learning in general.
The problem is, for every ounce of joy that he had about starting a new year, my other two sons shared equal parts of sadness due to the separation from their brother, and the burning feeling that they were missing out on some great, mysterious wonder.
As my oldest boy climbed into our van with a tote bag, nearly as big as him, strapped to his back, filled with just about every Crayola product imaginable, my younger children watched out the window, tears streaming down their faces. They desperately wanted to be going, too.
It was heartbreaking to watch, but it’s just one of those situations that is out of my control. I was, however, prepared for the inevitable “What about me?” moment, because I knew being left behind would be hard for the little guys to deal with. We do everything together as a family and any situation that strays from our “all for one, one for all” family way of doing things, upsets the nest.
This is how I stopped the tears and brought back the happy:
- I got my littles some new “school supplies,” too. Crayons, coloring books, flashcards, paints and book bags. When Mr. Big goes to school, the munchkins have their own “work” to do
- I found a special new DVD for them to watch. I looked through the bargain bin at Target and found a new addition to our children’s movie collection. A new movie goes a long way
- Baking and cooking are great diversions for little ones. I put them each in a little apron and they help me make salads and desserts for lunch. They love taste testing
- A trip to the park, library or YMCA is always an option. When all else fails, hopping into the minivan and checking out the neighborhood park works wonders for a sad little soul or two
The key ingredients to mending a couple of broken, little, left-out hearts are hugs, activities and some patience. They don’t understand why they’re not being included, they just know the trio is suddenly down to two. After a few days, they’ll get used to the new routine and the house will remain calm when the bus pulls up.
Image Source: flickr.com/photos/62337512@N00/3462897583
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