Kindergarten Drop-Off Tears (And Not Just Theirs)

The first day of kindergarten hit harder than I thought. I packed the lunch, zipped the backpack, tied the shoes. My five-year-old stepson looked braver than I felt. He marched into the classroom while I stood outside pretending I had “dust” in my eyes.

Step-momming is this strange mix of wanting to give them the world while wondering if you’re doing it right. Now throw in pregnancy hormones and a puppy that chews everything we own, and I was one melted Popsicle by 9 a.m.

But here’s the thing: when he came home that afternoon, messy hair and stories spilling out, I realized he doesn’t need perfect. She just needs me there. And that’s something I can do.