P&K Insider

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>

I just came from a dentist appointment with my 6-year-old son. I hate to admit it…but he had a cavity that needed to be filled. Much like me, he doesn’t care for pain, especially in form of the outrageously large Novocain needles. When I tell you, that I lost sleep over this procedure for weeks leading up to the appointment, I’m not exaggerating.

I called the dentist office to hear a step-by-step description of the procedure and I googled “cavities and children” to find out what methods are most safe. I woke up with a stomachache, which went nicely with the super, fake smile plastered on my face as to not alert my offspring that anything too horrible was coming.

I’m an honest mom. I don’t like to surprise my kids. I’m a talker. I played this one a little close the chest, though. Sort of nonchalant.

Flash forward a few hours and he’s mounted in the dentist chair. He doesn’t mind the gel used to numb his gums. He doesn’t even flinch when they inject the needle. In fact, he dismisses me from the room saying, “I can do it alone.”

My point here is simple. Parents tend to worry way more than their kids do. (Repeat as necessary to yourself). I worried about his first day of preschool – he was a little shy but in the end, he made a wonderful new friend that he still plays with. I worried about kindergarten – he had a few bumps to start out with, I doubted the teacher, the bus driver, and the entire kitchen staff – now he can’t wait to return to school in late August.

I could tell you to stop worrying but c’mon, that phrase is a bit useless when it comes to parenting. I will direct you to some of the great advice you can find in this issue of P&K like:

An academic year outlook

Ask the teacher

Ask the psychologist

And I’ll also encourage you to just believe (and breathe). Believe in your child and believe in yourself. Oh, and the brave smile works wonders too.

Happy school year,

Heather