In light of today being the first day of school for many of our kids, I thought it might be fitting to reflect upon some of my kids' first-day-of-school, adrenaline-fueled comments:
Kindergarten: "Dad, I'll stop crying if you will. Just pick me up in an hour if things don't work out."
First Grade: "Dad, do my Hello Kitty leggings match my Hannah Montana choker?"
Second Grade: "Dad, I don't care if it's eighty-three degrees. This coat will never look as good as it does today."
Third Grade: "Dad, do you think my teacher knows that I'll need to pee around ten?"
Fourth Grade: "Dad, look at the kindergarteners. They're so cute."
Fifth Grade: "Dad, can you just walk behind me a little bit when we get there?"
Sixth Grade: "Dad, really, it's just middle school. Stop hugging me. People are looking."
Seventh Grade: "Dad, it's just a little eye liner. You've seen a lot worse working in the fashion industry."
Eighth Grade: "Dad, just drop me off here. Thanks for the ride."
Ninth Grade: "Dad, I'm serious. If you draw on my lunch bag, I won't let you drive me to school."
I don't think my kids realize what a milestone each first day of school is. It's one of the most emotional days of the year; they feel excited and nervous, while I feel nostalgic and...well...old.
One of the day's most enduring sensations is that weathered, piney school smell that hits you the minute you walk into the building. That's usually what facilitates the lump in my throat when I look over at a daughter who has grown another year.
I love this post, Tim! I totally know what you mean by the school smell. To this day, when I see the back-to-school display at Target, I feel a tiny bit of anxiety. Going back to school always felt like a new year more than the actual New Year ever did. And now my little guy is starting the process with preschool---I know the speed at which he is growing up will just be compounded by that time marker that is school.
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