Do you remember the first day of school? Whether it was at a new school that you were going to or you were returning to the same school, there is something exciting about starting school. But in the midst of the excitement there is some level of anxiety.
I think our kids were experiencing a little bit of it as the school’s starting date was approaching quickly. So last night before they went to sleep, we had some family time. We went around and shared one thing that we were excited about starting school and one thing that was making us anxious.
The hardest one is always the issue of making friends and fitting in. I think this is every parent’s nightmare – the thought of their kids being isolated and not having any friends. It just breaks every parent’s heart. But we helped them to practice some simple rules such as – “if you want friends, you have to be a friend,” “make sure you introduce yourself first,” “don’t be afraid to ask questions” (these were all my advice). Then, I asked Christina to give a word of encouragement. She said, “You are not there to ONLY make friends! You have to study and do well in school. Focus on learning!” Hmm…
But ultimately what we really could offer them was to pray for them, so we spent some time as a family praying together. It lifted our spirits.
It was quite hectic getting everything ready for school. Christina and I ended up staying up till 1:30AM or so trying to get everything ready, from the kids’ uniforms to labeling their school supplies. And yes, I even practiced some of my domestic skills of sewing as I tailored Josiah’s pants. I am praying that this will not be my full-time calling in life 🙂
We got up at 5:30AM this morning because the kids had to be at school at 6:45AM! All the hustle and bustle of school got our juices flowing in the morning (you will only understand if you are a parent). Even though it was crazy, we were able to make it to school on time.
We saw Elliot and Karissa to their classrooms and made sure that they were situated. Then we went to the Senior High (7th-12th) school assembly at the gym. It was encouraging to see the biblical foundations in this school as they started off with prayer and an exhortation. We are thankful that God opened up the door at this Christian international school so that our kids will be able to experience a good education, as well as a diversity of cultures and people.
The kids will never be the same (in a good way).
The kids in the latest fashion and ready for the 1st day of school