Ever since my school years, I have not be able to sleep the night before school starts. This continues even when I am not the student, but the parent. Why can't I fall asleep?
Since I was the last of five siblings, my mom was not attentive to the particulars of my mundane childhood activities. She had been there and done that. This of course is not mentioned in regret but simply a fact of my upbringing which makes me who I am...independent and slightly odd. I always took the first day of school as a chance to reinvent myself, to right wrongs, be a better student, make new friends or strengthen old relationships, start with a clean slate. Every year I had my back-2-school ritual which included the following. I would ride my bike several times a summer to see if the class list had been posted. I am sure that the ride began with the first month of schools release and the list was never posted before August. It actually took me until adulthood the figured that out. Once the list was revealed, I would examine all the names of my classmates and determine if they would be my friend. I don't ever remember being disappointed with my teacher assignment. Once I figured all this out, I would start asking my mom to buy school supplies. Still today, this is still one of my favorite activities. I just love the way they smell and all the potential they hold. And then the school clothes. Although I received very few school clothes, I always got one outfit for the first day from my maternal grandparents. This would be my most treasured outfit for the year.
The evening before I would be sure to take a bath, set my outfit out, sort my supplies (again) and nestle myself in bed. And then the night would hit and BAMMMMM, I can't sleep. I always had such sleep deprivation that I actually have no memory of any of the my first days back. I would be in a groggy blur all day.
So now as a parent, it continues. My kids seem to be immune. I don't think they have any anxiety at all. Audrey did ask me to paint her nails before bed and then she was out and the boys settled down straight away after hugs and kisses. Me, I am still awake.
The family on top of Mount Evans
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4 comments:
I always had the "night before" insomnia, too. I still do for anything coming up that's outside of my usual routine. I always worry that we are going to have a power failure and my alarm won't go off, so I have to keep checking and make sure it's still ticking!
I am so with you on this. I never sleep before I go on trips either! Which make for really bad jet lag! I still pretend I'm going back to school and buy loads of school supplies for myself every autumn. And I soooo remember those school outfits that Grandma and Grandpa Andersen used to buy us. Oh I loved those days shopping with her at Cinderella City!
Hey! I remember Cinderella City! My cousins used to take us there when we visited Denver. I hear it's all gone now.
Good post.
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