Getting Schooled by School :: 12 Lessons I’ve Learned Being a School Mom

As we close in on the end of the year, I look back and realize how much life changed for my family this year. We were already dealing with big professional and personal shifts, and then came the shift from homeschooling to traditional school. This rocked our world, altering life in so many big and small ways. And while we’re only about 12 weeks into the school year, I’m already reflecting on lessons I’ve learned as a school mom so far. No laughing at me, veteran school moms; I’m a newbie!

1. Waking up while it’s dark is terrible. And it doesn’t even get easier! Dark is for sleeping, and whoever invented doing things before sunrise is not my friend.
2. I miss my kids a lot. We shared all of our time and space all day long for so many years that the quiet and stillness in the house feels overwhelming to me.
3. I love to hear about my kids through the perspective of their teachers. They see things in my kids in a different way than I do, and while they could never love my kids as much as I do, they can be much more objective than I ever could.
4. Packing lunches is for the birds. Kids need to pack their own as soon as they are even remotely capable. Alternatively, they can be hungry at school, which doesn’t bother me much.
5. School projects are the devil. I think I’m morally obligated to provide transportation and reasonable funds to collect supplies, but that’s it. If it can’t be completed by the student, better luck next year, kid.
6. Teachers are thankful for the smallest of kindnesses and decency. This leads me to the conclusion that they deal with a lot of crappy parents who are either unhelpful, entitled, or blame-shifters.
7. Seeing my kids’ independence growing now that they’re out of the home more has been really cool to watch. They’re owning their assignments, relationships with teachers, and budding friendships.
8. Speaking of friendships . . . my kids were already very social creatures to begin with, and now that they are making school friends, I’m exhausted already by their social calendars. Don’t let your kids make friends.
9. The kids are doing fun stuff I wasn’t good at as a homeschooling mom. Field trips, fine arts, and applied learning projects are solidifying so much that they’re learning more than just academic lessons can accomplish.
10. I’m much more protective of our time as a family in the evenings than I’ve ever been before. As an extrovert who was at home with kids all day long, I’d jump at any and every chance to get out the door on a date with the husband or my girlfriends in the evening. But now I want to spend the few hours I get with them all together if possible.
11. School pick-up lines are no joke. But I can get through a ton of Bible study, podcasts, and reading while sitting there. So as long as everyone behaves like a rational adult, the time isn’t a complete waste.
12. The decision to send the kids to school was a good one. They’re happy with school, and I’m happy not to be homeschooling. But I already can’t wait for next summer.

How about you, mama? Can you relate to any of this?