Where do I even begin?

Following up from my school update earlier this month, our school board made the difficult decision to close our neighborhood elementary school. That left us starting fresh at a new school. Thanks to the meet-and-greet, we had a general sense of what was coming. But nothing could have prepared us for the chaos of day one.

First Day of School

According to GPS, the morning commute from our house to the new school should’ve taken about 15 minutes, even with rush hour traffic. Can I just say how that information was null and void on the first day of school? The district’s recent school realignment completely reshaped traffic patterns, funneling families from newly re-assigned zones onto the same narrow two-lane road to our son’s new elementary campus. That 15-minute drive ballooned into a 40-minute crawl, and that’s before factoring in the impromptu detour—parking in a nearby neighborhood, hoofing it another 15 minutes to the school, then a final dash to his classroom. Did I mention it was also raining?

After that ordeal, we figured the morning bus might be the better option for our son. The stop is conveniently right outside our front door, and honestly, driving him would mean waking up even earlier. While riding the bus isn’t exactly his top pick, seeing familiar faces from his old school has made the transition a little easier.

New Teacher

My son’s third-grade teacher gives off major emo Anna Kendrick energy – and I’m here for it. She created a sensory-friendly classroom environment, and according to my son, she reminds him of one of his favorite teachers. That alone earned her some early points, but what really stood out was her proactive communication and her caring nature.

On the second day of school, she reached out to discuss A’s excessive movement and impulsivity which had begun to disrupt his classmates. What I appreciated most was her thoughtfulness; she genuinely wanted to understand how to support him without making him feel singled out or excluded. Her sensitivity to both his needs and the needs of his peers was clear.

Once we figured out a few strategies together, she put them into practice the very next day. So far, so good.

The Bully

Well, it was bound to happen. A has officially met his first classroom bully. While he understands that this child may be struggling to manage big emotions, being threatened was a new and unsettling experience for him. I mean, the kid literally told him he was going to stuff his head in the toilet. I’ll admit, my mama instincts kicked in hard. I immediately started telling my husband we needed to sign him up for martial arts or some kind of self-defense class, just in case.

After my emotional flare-up, we sat down with our son for a real conversation about how to navigate situations like this. We talked about how empathy doesn’t mean tolerating cruelty, and how it’s not his job to appease someone’s wishes when they’re being hurtful to him or others.

The next day, that same child tried to take something from him. My son stood his ground and firmly told him “no”. He set a boundary and that was the end of it. Don’t get me wrong, the behavior hasn’t disappeared entirely; the child is still acting out in class. But thankfully, A has some new tools to navigate the situation.

Homeroom Parent

This year, I volunteered to be the homeroom parent for my son’s class. Partly because no one else stepped up, and partly because I genuinely like his teacher and wanted to be involved in a manageable way. It’s my first time doing anything like this, and I figured, how hard could it be? Cue the formal email, the multi-page training manual, and a virtual meeting that feels more like onboarding for a full-time job. Like, what did I just sign up for? It seems a bit more structured (and slightly more intense) than I expected, but I can see the value. It’s really about creating clear lines of communication and helping organize classroom events, for both teachers and parents. Has anyone else been in this role before who could give me a few pointers??

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Make no mistake, the first two weeks have been a whirlwind. But slowly, we’re settling in. Mornings are smoother and my son seems more focused and motivated. The bully situation still pops up now and then, but he’s handling it with confidence. He’s also starting to build new friendships and finding comfort in familiar ones.

Honestly, I think I’m more anxious than he is. Third grade brings tougher academics, and I want to make sure he’s not just keeping up, but succeeding. I’m doing my best to support him, whether it’s homework help, talking through school concepts, or just teaching how to be a decent human being.

It’s a new experience for all of us, so we’re bound to hit a few bumps in the road this year. Things aren’t perfect, but I’m feeling hopeful. This year feels like it has the potential to be a good one.