Back to School - Finally

Just about every parent I know has had a rough week with the final days of summer.  It was a long one (10 weeks instead of the usual 9) and I think most kids are ready to go back to school.

Alex and Nathan both had difficulty, which I suspect was transition anticipation.  They both get anxious when there is a big transition coming up.  Alex will complain and whine more and Nathan will retreat and sulk more.  We tried not telling them about the transitions, but found the shock of a sudden change made things even worse.  So now, we tell them and try and grit our teeth through it.

We've done what we can to alleviate the stress.  We went to visit both schools and ran through which door they'll go through, where their classrooms are, where they'll put their books, etc.  We've had social stories about what happens next year that we've been reading since June.  I involved them in getting their school supplies and preparing for today.  Anything I could think of to increase their sense of control and reduce the unknowns.

It's going to be very quiet today after 10 weeks of having to hide up in the office to get any work done.  I can move back down to the nice, bright kitchen.  I'll miss them, but I am glad to have my own time back.