I am sure you have heard about the movie, The Longest Day. It is a film which is about the D-Day invasions. The movie is about one of the longest days in military and aviation history - its successes and failures. Well, I can say that today I had one of my longest days as a parent of a toddler who started at a new school. From the moment she woke up today I knew it was D-Day for her and while she probably did not feel that way, I sure did. Off she went to her first day at early preschool. There is a super expensive school in our area called Primrose, and my daughter started there today for two days a week. Almost 30 months old, my daughter, we felt, needed kid interaction and some learning other than just hanging out at home.
It was one the longest days I have had in some time and time could not move any slower- tick tock, it was only 9am when I first called. She was sitting in a corner and crying for mom and dad. They refused to give her her comfort item - the one thing she knows of- her pacifier. Of course, I did not know this then but found out as I unraveled the events of the day and started piecing the puzzle together. She did not eat food as they let on, on the phone, and did not sleep more than 40 minutes for a nap most likely cause she did not have her pacifier for comfort. In any case, I did not unravel all of the successes and failures of this longest day until well into the nighttime hour. By this time, it was too late to call the school and have a "talk" with them. But, rest assured, I will be doing so tomorrow and the next day until my longest days turn into shorter days and I can be at peace with her attending this strange new school.
I know her first day of school is nothing compared to the D-Day-Normandy invasions and the successes and failures there, but for some reason, as a mother, I felt today that they were and I felt there were insurmountable obstacles as she faced this new day and new adventure. Those obstacles were those I created in my mind including the uncontrollable feeling that one day I will have to let go as she makes her choices in this world.... what a day indeed!
