I am a recovering Helicopter Parent. Is there an HPAnon meeting nearby? Because I can be there to bring cookies. I struggle everyday to plan less, ignore the clock, and keep things light, but the trauma of being a dual military - turned - sometimes single mom arrangement nags at my ear almost daily, and now that school has started, you'd better believe that the Angel is working overtime on my other shoulder to dissuade me from going over to the dark side of HP'ing.
I worry most greatly about C. My 2nd child; my sweet, shy, introverted C...I do everything in my power to remind him daily that though he is our 2nd child, he is certainly not second or sandwiched between the two extroverts born before and after him. This helicopter sometimes has a tendency to fly very low when it comes to this little one.
But so far, so good...Day 2 of full day kindergarten has brought only smiles from him, although I also make myself think that it's partly because of the awesome bagel sandwich lunches I have made thus far. And despite my 50-questions after both days of school, (because 20 is never enough) he is still eager to tell stories during dinner time about the great friends he's made.
"I can't wait for tomorrow," he said to me tonight after putting away his dinner plate. "I love school."
Relief washed over me like soft velvet. I had to turn away to gather my composure, I'm sure that the last thing he would have expected was a blubbering mommy-mess.
New State, New House, New School, New Schedule, New Friends...and he is...okay so far.
Thank God.
