Happy New Year!
IA new school year is much like a brand new year for many. This time of year can be full of optimism, excitement, fresh starts and new opportunities. For many mothers, and parents in general, it’s also a time of other big feelings - sadness, emptiness, worry, angst, pressure. I could go on. It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of getting the kids out of the house for the first time in 2 months, back-to-school shopping and packing lunches. Likely, however, there are a lot of other emotions at play in the background. My Facebook feed is filled with parents dropping their children at university for the first time and becoming (near) empty-nesters. My heart goes out to those who are adjusting to an empty (or emptier) home this week. Then there are those whose children are just starting school, leaving home for the first time to embark on their learning journey. My heart goes out to those who are navigating this milestone. And there are those whose children are returning to the same school perhaps, but also having to adjust to a new class, new teachers, new expectations, different classmates. And for some, this can be a particularly challenging time that, like in my household, can appear to be going smoothly but the hours of 4-8pm are especially troublesome as the children adjust and regulate.
Amidst all of this, I’m reminded of the ongoing and cyclical nature of matrescence. Each stage and each child brings something new we haven’t yet encountered that challenges us (especially just when we think we’ve got it figured out!!). We have never been HERE before. But as I was reminded in a recent coaching conversation, I may have never surfed this particular bay before, I have surfed. (Ok I don’t actually know how to surf, but hang in there for this metaphor!)
I know how to surf different sized waves.
I know how to manage my board and myself through different waves.
And if I fall off, I know how to swim and get back on.
So to all the mothers out there learning to surf a different bay this fall, I invite you to let this be your reminder of all the bays you HAVE surfed before. You’ve got this!
