The end and the beginning

Today is the last day of daycare. For 8 years and 2 months I have been sending someone (or two someones) to daycare. But we are graduating.

As with all graduations, there is a bittersweet feeling associated with this one. There is a joyous side. I am so very excited to not have to a) pay the bill and b) deal with the drama associated with daycare.

This year has been relatively drama-free since Tater has been in the kindergarten classroom with a fairly consistent cast of characters. His teacher has remained the same all year, her assistant has remained the same. There has been drama elsewhere in the building, but we have been blissfully unaware of it.

There is also a bit of a sadness in the ending. I think that daycare was great for both of my kids. They had their own social lives, they learned to share (mostly) and to get along with others (mostly). They are pretty well-adjusted kids (mostly) and it has all been good (mostly). It is weird for this chapter to be over. Almost like the day we gave away the last piece of baby equipment.

So, it is with an ounce of sadness that I will pick him up in an hour or so and gather all of his belongings: the extra change of clothes that is three sizes too small and appropriate for winter and has been unused for years, the art projects, the notebook full of drawings, his final report card, his sunscreen, quite possibly a small plant that I will try really hard not to kill. I will probably have a tear in my eye as we pack up and leave for the last time ever (of course, it doesn't take much to produce the tear in my eye).

And then we will embark on the "First Summer of Mom". And that might cause some crying, too. But hopefully not right away!