Can you believe Riley is already in Kindergarten?? I can't! I finally understand why moms always ask each other if they cried when they took their little one to the first day of school. I didn't cry. I was proud of Riley and excited for him. He needs to be pushed and stretched more than I can here at home. I say I didn't cry, but that was only speaking for the first day of school! I have wanted to cry since I have come to the realization that someone else is going to be taking care of my son and teaching him more hours out of the day than I will be, and I will have less and less control over him and his decisions starting now.
Riley is a good boy. He receives nothing but compliments from his teacher and is performing fantastically in school. He has a lot of friends and is always eager to please and follow the rules. I couldn't ask for a better little boy. I know he can make good choices, but the world is full of all kinds of dangers that I wonder if his little 5 year old mind is ready to tackle. As much as I would love to let him never leave the house, I know he has to learn how to live "in the world" but "not of the world," as President Hinckley said.
Things I worry about:
Violence - Little boys seem to be obsessed with violent language and pretend play. At what point is it innocent boys playing verses inappropriate behavior??
Sexual topics - He is going to school with kids who are much older and are more aware of these topics at younger and younger ages. I worry about how much to introduce at what age and how to introduce it in a way that is age appropriate.
Media - There is so little that I feel is appropriate for families these days, but especially little ones. How can I keep him away from that garbage when he wants to play at a friends house, especially those with older siblings??
Video Games - Riley LOVES the Wii. I think he dreams about it all day and night. I've seen co-workers addicted to World of Warcraft as 40 year olds. They play at work instead of doing their jobs. I have some strong feelings about video games both in content and addictiveness. I think we keep it in check, but now I see other kids fueling his fire.
Food Allergies - I worry about his ability to manage his own allergies so he doesn't have any serious reactions away from home.
Friends - What a HUGE influence friends have on the person you are and the decisions you make! I want him to have great friends who are trying to make good choices.
I just realized these last couple of weeks that I have about 5 years to prepare my children to face these challenges. Just FIVE years. I do realize that we will continue working on things as we go, and that we don't face every challenge all at once, but those first 5 years are the crucial foundation for my children to go out into the world and know how to behave when they are influenced by so many other adults and children both for better and worse. It has brought a whole new meaning to my job at home with my little ones. It has made me cherish my moments with them and feel more urgency to build my relationship with them so they can trust me and come to me with concerns or problems and an urgency to teach them how to handle the the things that they will face. It's hard to be a mom. It's REALLY hard to be a mom with little babies and toddlers and preschoolers. BUT it is worth it. It is worth every minute, even the rough minutes. Because they are watching you, and you are shaping their future, one minute at a time.
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