I know there are so many memes out there about parents rejoicing that they will get a bit of freedom when their kids go back to school. I feel that way for sure. I’m excited to get back to my regular office hours.
One of the teens, a 7th grader, told me school was already getting hard - even though it just started. I asked him if he ever used deep breathing as a coping strategy when things seem difficult or when he was experiencing nervousness? He said no - and he had never considered deep breathing to actually be a thing.
I spoke to the staff development director about my desire to go to the conference and bring my family since I was still nursing my baby. She looked at me like I was nuts. She told me she doubted that could happen. She asked if I thought this was a professional request to make? That discouraged me. It made me feel small and unworthy.
Going back-to-work when our daughter was three months old was brutal. I didn’t want to go back. I didn’t want to leave her chubby and snuggly body. I didn’t want to stop breastfeeding.
Schools are not always a great fit for all types of children and families. Some parents have painful memories of their own challenges with particular teachers or school settings.
When you find yourself going through the wrong doors of life or taking a dead-end path, how does this affect your self-esteem?