(Not Yet) Back to School

Ax’s first day of school is Tuesday.  We don’t seem to be getting him any new clothes or school supplies or setting up a special homework area or prepping lunch snacks. I asked him about all these things but he told me:

“They give us pencils at school.”

“Ok so you don’t want your own pencils in a cute little pouch.”

“No thanks.”

“What about some new shorts?”

“I’m good.”

“Well, maybe we should do a little more decluttering and organizing to make space for a nice schoolwork area in your room.”

“I already have a schoolwork area.”

“Where?”

“The dining room table.”

“Oh right.”

So, there’s nothing to do to prepare.  I thought about trying to get him to do a bit of reading and math so he doesn’t show up completely cold to first grade.  But really that would be to help my own anxiety more than him.  All the buying I’m thinking of doing, again some (non-eco, non-rational) impulse to control his future for the better.  

“Are you excited for school honey?”

“Not really.”

“Are you nervous about school darling?”

“No.”

“Are you thinking about school?”

“No.  I’m not really thinking about anything.”  He tells me as he builds some elaborate LEGO vehicle.  

There’s three more days of summer vacation and we get to enjoy them — vacation days, not prep for school days.  We get to be where we are, and it’s wonderful.  And then we’ll be where we are next week, next week, which will be wonderful too if I let it be.

I’m gonna keep going.