Big brother paves the way

H. had been mumbling for a few days that she was nervous about starting kindergarten. When I asked more questions, she admitted that she was nervous because she didn’t know anyone and wasn’t sure she’d make friends. The first day of school has come and gone and she had made new friends before the end of the day.

T. tried his darndest to reassure his little sister by telling her how much fun he had in kindergarten. He told her about the playground, about art class, and how nice his teacher was. He also reminded her that he was going to be there too.

I can’t help but think how lucky she is to have a big brother to pave the way. I was the oldest sibling, so like my son, I was the one that paved the way and tried to make things less scary for my brothers. It’s a rough job sometimes. You have to figure things out on your own, and of course the grownups have no idea what it’s like for a kid, so their advice isn’t always welcome.

T. looks out for his little sister. I know this will evolve into a more sibling-rivalry-like relationship one day, but for now, he’s her hero and her champion. He’s the one that helps make it safe to do things like he first day of school.

Both kiddos survived the beginning of the new school year, and it’s a relief to have them both in the same school again. I can’t wait to see how many new directions T. paves for his little sister, and how many thing she explores on her own.

Reace Alvarenga-Smith is a Mom of two in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.