A ‘back-to-school’ letter to parents

I don’t know about you, but my Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and email have been full of back-to-school photos of gorgeous smiling faces at the school gates.

From the first day of Kindergarten to the last first day of year 12, it was a sea of heartfelt blurbs wishing children the best day back at school.

The smiles are ear-to-ear, and the backpacks are sometimes bigger than the child. It’s been a milestone week full of emotions.

I’ve seen posts to teachers thanking them for their hard work (with a hint of relief attached). I get it. School holidays were never this long when I was at school, right?

However, there is one group that NEVER gets the praise. There are no photos of them holding chalkboards with their age and grade, no handwritten notes in their lunchboxes. I’m talking about the parents. You know, the ones taking the photos and writing the notes.

I’ve attempted to right this wrong.

Here is a letter I’ve penned to the parents who have also had a big week, dropping their kids at the gate for the first week back to school.

I’ve written this for you, mums and dads. Picture it on a piece of lined A4 paper, folded neatly and placed on top of your Vegemite sandwich in your lunchbox.

Dear parents,

You did it.

You got the family to stand in the same spot every year to take the back-to-school photo.

You look like you’ve got it together, but the wave of nostalgic heaviness is rolling in.

One minute, you’re desperately relieved the school holidays are over – the minute staring at this photo, a tangible reminder of how fleeting childhood is.

When did you get so big? You think as you share the precious time capsule around.

I googled what they call this feeling of tension – where you’re holding tight but letting go.

Apparently, it’s called parenthood.

You did it. You gave the “you’ve got this” speech in the car on the way to school and bravely waved as they walked through the door.

One day, they might realise the mental load you carry, from affording the uniform to packing the bag, worrying if they’ll make friends, while you can’t remember the last time you’ve seen yours.

For now, it’s a simple thumbs up. You save the tears for the car and drive away thinking surely things will slow down next week, right?

You did it.

You left early to the boss’s eye roll. You battled the pick-up school traffic to be the first face they see when they exit the gate, trying not to reveal that you’ve thought of them all day. You second-guessed whether you’d done your job and prepared them for this chapter.

“How’d you go?”

You ask, “What did you do today?”

And with a long pause and blissful ignorance, they reply, “NOTHING”. Just like you used to.

You did it. You’re doing it, and you probably don’t tell yourself enough, but you’re doing a great job.

Kristen Davidson is the long-running Breakfast Host on MIX 106.3 and a marriage and funeral celebrant. Follow her adventures at Kristendavidson.com.au.