Today is the last school day of the year for us, and I’ve got two boys who are excited about Christmas and holidays coming up next week. They’ve had a great year in Kindergarten and Preschool, and are looking forward to seeing their friends again and sharing the same playground at school next year.
And, very quietly, I am celebrating my own graduation. I finished paid work around seven years ago, and have been a stay-at-home mum since then. Starting my own business this year has been a dream come true, but it has also been really challenging as I’ve juggled one child at home with coaching sessions, administration and various volunteer roles! And so, next year, I am looking forward to both boys being in full-time school, and getting some more consistency in my new work life.
When others hear about this change of season that I am entering, the most common response is ‘you won’t know yourself!’ I guess I’ll have to wait and see if my identity changes somehow, but I’m hoping that instead of not-knowing myself, I’ll actually be developing and uncovering the person who feels like she has lain dormant for a little while now. It’s exciting and daunting, because I won’t have many of the excuses that I’ve employed this year. I’ll miss the flexibility that I enjoyed with children at home, and I’ll grow into a new routine.
And I’ll still get to be the mum who values being present with her children, who wants to build their character by offering clear boundaries and unconditional love, and the mum who makes mistakes and apologies.
I’m proud of my boys, I’m thankful for their hard-working and amazing teachers this year. I’m excited about our plans for the summer holidays and the special family times we’ll have together after a particularly busy school term. And I’m looking forward to a new year in 2016 which offers a whole host of possibilities because my children will be in full-time school.
Happy graduation to me!
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