Dear Hannah,
Tomorrow is not just another day.
Tomorrow is the beginning of something amazing.
Something bigger than your little self can imagine.
Tomorrow you will take your first step
Into a new world.
One with new faces.
New challenges.
And scary unknowns.
I know you’re nervous.
Scared of the forest filled with trees so high
You cannot see the beautiful green leaves
Or even the light from the sky above.
I understand you are sad imagining
Feeling lonely and awkward
Amid the newness.
I’m sorry you are afraid that the thought of me,
Your mommy,
While not with me
Will not bring you comfort, just make you sad.
I wish I could pack my arms
In your new floral backpack
So in those moments
You could wrap them around you.
But it’s up to You now.
I have given you all I could think of giving.
All the tools.
The strength and guidance
That I knew you’d need to catapult you forward.
I taught you how to be kind
And friendly.
To think of others and give hugs
When someone looks sad.
Daddy and I taught you to tell jokes
With the right timing
To make others laugh
When they may feel nervous.
I explained what it means
To feel confident
And to love yourself
So that others will be drawn to you
And want to love you too.
I gave you wings.
That have yet to open.
And now it’s up to you
To shake them out, fluff them up and spread them out.
Because I know,
As well as ANY mommy could know,
That you will soar.
You will take flight with ease
And fly high above that world
You’ve only just begun to discover.
I hope for you to enjoy this flight.
View it as an adventure.
One without right and wrong turns
But a path with new curves to discover each day.
Make yourself proud.
Before caring if I’M proud.
Know that you’ll stumble.
We all do.
But also know you’ll brush yourself off
And soar again.
I love you my sweet Hannah.
And may this first day of Kindergarten
Prove to you that you Can Do Anything.
No matter how nervous you are tonight.
Or may be in the future.
Love,
Mommy
Crying. Am right there with you sending Whit off next week. Fly, Hannah, fly.
xo
Wow. That was beautiful and eloquent. Made me tear up.
May the newness of tomorrow bring more wonder than anxiety (for you both).
So lovely, B. I’ll be thinking of both of you tomorrow (coincidentally, Big Boy’s first day of preschool). xoxo
What a huge milestone! Will be thinking of you both and hoping for an easy take off and smooth landing…May I suggest Dr. Seuss, “Oh, the places you’ll go” as a good conversation starter? I am excited for you both! ((HUGS))
I hope it is a wonderful year. Such a touching post.
I’m all teary. I love this best: “Make yourself proud before caring if I’m proud.”
She will soar.
We’re in the middle of week two of kindergarten. It is such a journey. Mostly good, but also exhausting.
Have a great day tomorrow, both of you!
beautiful. makes me happy my son isn’t going to school yet – there’s so much more i want to teach him! i hope her first day goes splendidly!
I hope she has a fabulous year and man – while I did not cry when I dropped my kids off this morning this got me all teary. I know she is scared and also that she will be okay. She will soar. Awesome post!
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Well now I can’t comment because I’m a weepy mess. My guy starts next week. Huge sobs.
Love this, love you.
xo
Very beautifully written, Becca. I feel the same way about my daughter, who is starting kindergarten today, too. They grow up so fast! We do all that we can for them, but now it’s time for them to go it alone. Good luck, girls. You’ll do great!
Such a lovely post. i’m only sending my oldest to 2 mornings a week pre-school and i’m so anxious as it’s her first time left alone at a program! Thanks for the great words:)
Wow. Thank you for the morning cry! Seriously, what a beautiful post. Your daughter will cherish this forever.
Good Luck to her and to you. I was an emotional wreck last year when my son started kindergarten!
I’m thinking of you and Hannah a lot today. Can’t wait to hear how it went.
Ben started VPK last week (I posted pics…two or 3 posts ago) since he missed the kinder age cut off by 2 weeks.
I can not IMAGINE what I will be like next year.
Sending hugs.
I will have your sweet girl in my thoughts today. I hope she has a wonderful first day and comes home excited and ready to go again tomorrow!
Congrats to Hannah! What a big day for you both.
Such beautiful words for such a big day!!!
This is the sweetest letter. How did her first day go?
This is so beautiful, it made me tear up! I hope things went well. It sounds like you are an amazing mother who prepared her well for this next step. I hope I can do as well!
“I wish I could pack my arms
In your new floral backpack”
That was beautiful, Becca. We just went to K open house yesterday and my daughter is so eager to start school next week I wish I could pack my arms in her backpack, too. Just to make sure she still needs them.
Wow. Beautiful. I hope she had a great day!
I’ll have to save this one for next week, so I can have a good cry before M goes off to school. I haven’t shed a tear until just now. Thanks
Fly she will.
What a sweet message to your daughter!! I hope her first week of school was amazing!!
seriously dabbing at the eyes here. this really hit home– thank you for this poetry, love and even for the tears!
Crying as I read. You have done the hardest thing a mom can do – let go, just a little for the start of a new part of Hannah’s life. I wish I could give you a big hug right now.
Lovely. Hope she had a wonderful first day.
This is absolutely breath taking, and its such a coincidence I came across it today, for I too was worried and anxious when I received a email today confirming a place for my son for preschool next year. Its beautifull and made me extremely emotional. Hope your all well x