This morning, I dropped Jack off at school with a mountain of luggage bigger than himself. He's going away to a farm for one night. We had strict instructions on what he had to take: two of everything, basically. Going away for ONE night, they had to take two pairs of trousers, two sets of pajamas, and so on. I would have sent him off with a pair of underpants and a toothbrush. Okay, and a sleeping bag. Not with a pillow and a pair of slippers.
While we were all waving the kids off, there were several mothers and grandmothers who were crying their eyes out because their babies were going away for one single night. All the children are between five and seven. Only one child was crying. She'd never slept over anywhere before.
I just don't get the crying. Are they worried something is going to happen to them? I get that, but surely that could happen anytime - why cry now? Are they going to miss them? They're back tomorrow afternoon. No, I don't understand. Parents really come in all shapes and sizes.
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I cry all the time. I cried all day when Rose went to Kindergarten (after I kept her home for a whole year)...I cried the first time the girls' dad took them for the whole weekend (three years ago and I still tear up every once in awhile Friday evenings).
ReplyDeleteSometimes I even cry when Jeremiah goes to work in the morning.
So ridiculous.
@erin - I cried for both children's first time at the creche. (They were six months old.) And when they were born.
ReplyDeleteI don't think crying is ridiculous at all. Just different. Sometimes I wish I could cry more.
I imagine it's the symbolism of the thing - seeing that their child is growing up and separating. I never figured this out (probably because I've never been a parent), but surely the whole point of parenting is that your child(ren) grow up and separate?
ReplyDeletePueblo girl. Exactly what I intended to say. I'm the woman who cries at cute commercials on television, but when my children headed off for camp or whatever, I was only excited... because *they* were so adorably excited!
ReplyDeleteI remember those parents....they certainly were NOT my parents. They were glad to get a break from me!
ReplyDeleteI do lots of happy crying, Graham's Kindergarten graduation, birthdays...
ReplyDeleteBut my kid going away for a whole night?? I'd be doing the happy dance without the crying.
We are all chemically different. Some cry, some don't. It means nothing when it comes to love and caring.
ReplyDeleteI hope Jack has a GREAT time.
I would be one of the crying mothers. Although I'd probably do it in the car alone when everyone had left. I detest the thought of my sons going away without me for even one night. Why? Not sure - something to do with me not being there to protect them... I wish I was a bit more laid back when it comes to this stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big crier for things either. I did cry as you did when they were born, but funny thing is not when I pushed...well tossed Nathaniel to the lions in Kindergarten this fall. I was happy to do so. I admit that when they were small and stayed over for a night at my moms or MIL's I would make Neil get up earlier than normal for a weekend and go get them, I did miss them but not enough to cry about it. Maybe b/c my boys spend most w/ends at my MIL's I don't get a chance to miss them? Maybe I need an extended vacation???
ReplyDeleteOoooo I'll ask that for my birthday!!!
School trips only ever upset me if I had been silly enough to sign up as mother help. Otherwise it was YEEHAA lets go out for tea!
ReplyDeleteI have a different relationship with each of my kids. Depends on which one was leaving, you know?
ReplyDeletemy bug has spent various nights with both sets of grandparents while the husband and I had some nights out. They were wonderful and I did nto cry, but I did get right up the next morning and go get her. Yeah, pretty much the same thing but I didn't cry...
ReplyDeleteOh, I am afraid I think I would cry. When I was working I was always nipping off to the loo to cry because I missed my baby so much. It didn't go away in the whole 18 months I went back to work. Even the last week I spent a ten minute guilt trip/missing her trip in the loo. I had absolutely no control over it. It wasn't because I thought anything bad would happen to her, I just missed her so much. I blame my hormones...
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