The Last High School Year: A Tighter Grasp

 A Mom's Heartfelt Journey Through Her Son's Senior Year of High School

Part II

Yesterday my HS Senior and I fit into both of our work schedules attending his Eagle Day!  This is the day you check in, make sure you are registered, pay your fees associated with yearbook, student body card, get your locker (if you want one) and of course receive your academic schedule.  In addition to that we had the pleasure of meeting the new High School Principal.

This is the first step to the academic side of things-- his senior year of high school.  For him it is a mix bag of excitement to be done with high school and anxiety as he navigates applications for the next step and balancing getting good marks while also realizing change is ahead.  It is a year of saying goodbyes.  Goodbye to his teachers, schedule as he knows it, his classmates, and an environment that he has lived at for the past several years.  On the exterior there is a toughness and a desire to do something different and "blow this popsicle joint" as they say. But I can imagine the inside is different.

From my side, it is tug-of-war. On the one hand, I am ready to let go of the stress of last minute checks for homework, missing assignments, reminding him about studying for his exams, packing lunch after lunch (can we talk about the last lunch I'll pack for him?!), and keeping him on target.  For this I think I am ready for him to take the reins and be independent.  On the other hand, I realize how much I have loved these moments of being so involved in his everyday life.  There is comfort in being the one who asks, "Did you study for that test?" or " Do you need help with....?" The thought of losing that small but significant role tugs at my heart in ways I didn't anticipate.  

So while we haven't started school quite yet, we have his final school year schedule in hand.  His final electives and few remaining core required classes and in two weeks he will enter the school to begin his senior academic year.  I am sure there will be struggles and "senioritis" and we will power through.  And we will begin our goodbyes.