Once upon a time there was a little boy. He was the sweetest little boy in all the land. The day came when his mommy was going to take him to school for the first time. And she knew she was going to cry. For this little boy and this young mommy spent every single day together for the past 2 years, 4 months, and 17 days. He spent his days in her shadow, walking, talking, grocery shopping, going on mommy-son outings, to playdates, to storytimes and more. Much more. She knew what he ate, what he said, why he laughed, when he cried, how high he jumped, how hard he fell, how many times he peed, if he pooped (and how much), if he said a new word and how funny he sounded, if he drank all of his milk or just 7/8ths of it, if he shared his toys (or not) and if in the rare instance he had a babysitter or was under someone else’s care in the past 2 years, 4 months, and 17 days, those people informed that mommy of all of this important information. Information that, if unknown, makes it hard for mommies to sleep at night. It’s a mommy thing.

And that is why mommies cry when little ones go to school for the first time. This day marks the first day of a slow, gradual separation and an acceptance that someone else will be privvy to this sacred information and you are left to  speculate. Because 2 year olds don’t tell their mommies everything they do at school.

“Hi!!!!! I missed you so much! How was school?”

“Good!”

“What did you do? Tell me ALL ABOUT IT!!!!”

“I play.”

And then you turn to the teacher for something more. Anything more…

“Well, did he have a good day?”

“Yes! He was very well behaved and a funny little one! What a vocabulary!”

You smile and nod, not wanting to be that parent. But leave thinking, “But, but, but did he smile? Did he eat, what did he say, did he laugh, did he cry, did he jump, did he fall, how many times did he pee, did he poop (and how much)? Did he said a new word and how funny did he sound, did he drink all of his milk or just 7/8ths of it, did he share his toys, or not?????”

Instead, you thank them and walk away.

And that’s it. That’s all you’re gonna get. And then comes the moment where moms all over the world close their eyes and wish that for just one moment they could be a fly on the wall in that preschool room. Watching, listening, smiling (hopefully) at their little creation in motion, on their own.