A Sad Goodbye

Riley's having her last day at the Club today. She starts her middle school summer session for new students next week, so it's time to say goodbye. And she's sad about it. And that's okay.

I know, as a mother, I'm never supposed to want my children to be sad. And it's not that I want her to be sad, but I accept that it's a natural emotion to feel when saying goodbye to a place and people that have been a part of her life for three years! The Club has been so great for both of them. If she wasn't feeling sentimental, that would be more wrong, I think.

I know it's hard to start over. I did it a lot myself growing up. But I also know I wouldn't trade any of those experiences.

I remember one time in particular writing in my diary that I hated my parents for making us move again. Of course, I didn't really hate them, but in a diary, we should be allowed to be overly dramatic. (Even without a diary, I tended towards dramatic!)

We went shopping for her new school supplies and she was excited to pick out what she wanted, and I know she'll be nervous and scared about starting a new school, but that won't stop her from doing something that she knows is right for her. And she was thrilled to tear up and recycle the paper from the neighborhood school, knowing that she was going to this school instead.

Change is hard. Saying goodbye is hard. And it should be. So if my Riley's a little sad today, I'm not going to try to take that away from her. I'll snuggle with her tonight, and let her pick something to do to ease the pain. I'm sure she'll miss the Club and will speak of it fondly for years to come. We'll stop by the Club when we can to say hello. It'll always hold a special place in our hearts. But the sadness, like every emotion, will soon be replaced with another emotion, and another and another. And she'll be okay.