Back to School, PB+J, and Lamenting - iNeed a Playdate Back to School, PB+J, and Lamenting iNeed a Playdate a Blog for Northeast Ohio Moms

8.23.2015

Back to School, PB+J, and Lamenting

You can't stop the future You can't rewind the past The only way to learn the secret ...is to press play

Back to school has come and gone in our household or in our case back to school and a new kindergartner. I've always hated back to school time. Summer seems to be getting shorter the older the kids get. Time is just laughing.

It's so strange that not only are they no longer babies, but they have started their educational journey. It feels like just yesterday that the were clinging to me and now they are moving away, so to speak.

Back to School, PB+J, and Lamenting


It hits me in the strangest ways like in the grocery store when I had a moment of panic shopping for the kindergartner's lunch. I realized that I had no idea what she would want for lunch. 

At home, days off and weekends, we all graze. As I was standing in the aisle torn between grape and strawberry jam it dawned on me, I have never made a PB&J for her. My son eats peanut butter on a sandwich round nearly every single day. Not even a whole one but a half of one. What am I to feed her?

It was a moment of sheer panic and let's be real here - guilt. I almost called her babysitter. In fact, if I had not left my phone at home I probably would have. The sitter has spent more time with her than I did the last five years. 

I don't regret working and her sitter has become like a grandma to her. Actually, Ms. Laura and her husband Mr. Dan are a team and have loved my baby like their own family. She loves them just as much. Especially, Mr. Dan who makes the best spaghetti she has ever had and the only PB&J she will ever eat.

Ms. Laura was crying when I went to pick her up for the last time. Well, not really the last time. There will be next summer and spontaneous visits, but it won't be as often as before. I started to cry, too.

That first lunch I was so worried about messing up her sandwich and there really was no reason to be - she wanted pepperonis and tomatoes, just like I give her on weekends. I can handle that.

And, I can handle them going back to school.

A photo posted by Mary Johnson (@mryjhnsn) on


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