Yesterday was the first day of school for throngs of kids across the nation. Parents will line their kids up and take pictures to plaster their children across facebook commemorate the special moment that is a new beginning. New Clothes. New teachers. New classrooms. New friends. New memories.
The first day of school is something special.
I’m too old to experience the childlike excitement of the first day of school. However, I remember growing up and the feeling that consumed me. I made sure my outfit was on point. I had a fresh ambition to not be a procrastinator (for about a week). I was ready to see my friends. Most of all, I was ready for the challenge of a new grade. Will I gain the knowledge I need? Do I have the emotional maturity to pass the social tests? When high school came around, I was ready to see if I could actually get a girlfriend. That failed on multiple occasions. The important thing? I learned.
School is not only about academics, it is a social education. The bulk of what we learn about people occurs outside the home. People are different everywhere you go. Their views. How they are raised. Their struggles.All of this come with the child/teenager into the classroom where they are expected to succeed. That should be the expectation anyway.
Who knew the first day of school entailed so much?
Now that we know, I hope we set our children up for success. Failure is not an option when it comes to our future generation. Wait. I should rephrase. Failure is not an option for this generation. They are not the future. They are the
They are the present.
Another school year is upon us. Let’s pray for dreams to come true, goals to be accomplished, and learning to be achieved.
[Image Credit Flickr via U.S. Dept of Education]
[Image Credit Flickr via U.S. Dept of Education]
A Fresh Voice 