Back to School - Ugh or Yippee!

Well, it is that time of year again when most of us send our precious babies back to school...or should I say back to the great unknown! I have chatted with a few friends recently and they are so happy to "get them out of the house". Many parents find summers very hectic and fun but also frustrating sometimes. With the kids home they simply do not get a lot of things done that maybe they were planning to do. Sometimes the unscheduled chaos can send even the most calm and collected mom into "orbit." If you have more than one child you can probably identify with that. They all want to do something different and they all want you to do it with them! Either that or they are bickering with each other, picking on each other, whining, or making a complete mess of your freshly cleaned house. Ahhh the joys of motherhood!

Are you looking forward to school starting again? Just waiting for those free mornings to sip coffee on the patio, catch up with friends, read that book you have been meaning to, or take a leisurely shopping trip? Or are you in the other camp of dread and worry because school has started? Do you jump every time the phone rings thinking it is the school nurse calling to summon you because your child is bleeding? Does fear grip you until your child arrives home and you know everything is alright? Do you worry that your child will not understand what is being taught, get bad grades, be rejected by friends, be teased, harassed, or worst of all injured by some bully? These are very real things that we face as moms. Even moms of children without bleeding disorders have many worries. But we have the added stress of the "what if they are bleeding", "what if I can't get there right away", "who will help my child", and the list of "what ifs" goes on and on.

Many parents of children with bleeding disorders have a "school plan" in place to help aleviate some of these worries. The principal, the teacher, classroom aids, the school nurse (if there is one), and the playground aids need to be made aware of your child's situation. Emergency numbers need to be provided so they can contact you, your doctor, or your Hemotologist should the need arise. Your Hemotologist would be a great resource for you to employ in putting together a plan that is right for you and for your child's school. You definately want the plan to be simple and something that the school will actually be able to carry out at the moment the need arises.

Maybe you have a plan or a protocol in place that is working well for you. If you don't mind sharing, I would love to hear about it! There may be others that can benefit from your well thought out school plan. Or, maybe you have some great ideas or thoughts to share about how you deal with the stress of sending your child back to school...I know I can always use advise on how to lower my stress level! Thanks for sharing!