I bought a first day of school sign from the Target dollar spot the other day.
It was an impulse buy like all dollar spot purchases usually are. So much of an impulse buy that I’m pretty sure I don’t even have the chalk needed to write the details on the board when the time comes. Good thing their first day isn’t for a few weeks!
The last time I purchased one of these chalkboard first day of school thing-ys was when my oldest was entering kinder. I forgot the chalk then too but I didn’t realize it until it was the morning of his first day and I was scrambling to take a photo. In the absence of chalk, I had to tape pieces of paper with the details onto the board. It felt about right for how hectic everything was back then. Now I’m preparing to send two more boys to kindergarten and one to second – I probably should’ve bought more than one sign now that I think about it!
Today is the day my sons’ school asked for a decision on first quarter online or in-person. As I filled out the form late last night, I imagined all the families these days agonizing over this decision even if they’ve already pressed send on the form and locked their kids in.
Each month I write a piece for the dotmagis blog over at ignatianspirituality.com. Usually, my pieces are more explicitly Ignatian, but this month… this month I felt compelled to write about teachers. To celebrate teachers and pray for teachers because no matter what angst we have as parents – they certainly didn’t sign up for this. Even homeschooling parents are facing a new world as they refresh their own classrooms.
So here is an excerpt from my celebration of teachers today. You can find the whole piece here:
“I have extraordinary faith in teachers to find a way to still show all students that they are seen and that they matter. After all, God has called teachers each to this vocation, and I believe God knows exactly what God is doing. So, let us pray for teachers as we begin this year, that God may grace them with the vision and the fortitude needed to navigate these ever-changing circumstances. And may God remind them daily that they have superhero status in the eyes of children—and in the eyes of the children’s parents as well.”
Thank you teachers for all you have done and will do for my boys.
(by the way, the photo is one I describe in the dotmagis piece live today)
