This Back-to-School season is proving particularly emotional for me considering the ages of my nieces and nephews. I have had the joy of being an aunt since I was 16 years old. I distinctly remember finding out that I was going to be an aunt for the first time and have become slightly more obsessed as each kid joins the ranks. When I lived out of state, I sent letters and subscription boxes. I tried to think of out of the box gifts and random facts to sprinkle in those letters. Even when I couldn’t be there physically, I wanted each one to know that I loved them and thought of them often.
I moved back to the area in 2021 and a big part of that dealt with the fact that my oldest “kids” were going to be finishing high school and the youngest are just starting kindergarten. This year, my nephew, Jacob, and niece, Taylor, graduated high school. They are officially adults and spent the last couple of months deciding what the future outside of high school was going to look like. I’ve been lucky enough to provide guidance on financial aid, meal plans and roommate drama. It can be much easier to express nerves to another family member rather than a parent. Jacob asked me during lunch if I had been scared to move out and live on my own while Taylor and I discussed roommate boundaries. It is a giant step to leave home for the first time, even when it’s only a couple months at a time.
On the opposite end of things, Taylor’s younger sister, Ella Rae, will be starting kindergarten this fall. Her mom has already begun purchasing school supplies, starting with a unicorn backpack. Ella Rae eagerly demonstrated taking it off and on. She is excited to be going to school instead of daycare. This transition makes me incredibly emotional since before we realize it, she’ll be asking me the same questions her big sister did before heading to college. It seems so scary to me and I’m just their aunt! I’m comforted by the little flashes of their parents’ personality that I see in them. They’re going to do just fine despite the bumps that adolescence brings.
I’m spending more and more time reflecting back on my own experiences. I’ve tried to remember the things that I wanted to be told before starting a new school, whether that was elementary, middle, high school or college. I want each of the kids in my life to remember a couple things as they head back to school and face the obstacles it brings.
Love yourself: Try not to waste time disliking yourself. You are the only person you’re with for your entire life. As the saying goes, confidence is your most attractive feature.
Peer Pressure goes both ways: Be respectful of your friends’ choices, they don’t have to always match yours. Boundaries are important for a reason.
Enjoy the little things: We don’t always know when we’re stressed so try to keep doing things you love.
The Back-to-School season encompasses so much more than school supplies. Children are learning how to interact in a social setting. They will learn the skills which will prepare them for adulthood. Take a moment to give them a little bit of grace when they come home moody and unwilling to talk. Give yourself a little bit of grace as well. It’s not easy raising human beings!
They talk back and I only like sarcasm when it comes from me!
