My granddaughter is going to the same school her mother and uncle attended so many years ago. It's where I spent a lot of time volunteering and later the school district where I taught for 19 years and then retired from.
I went with Tiffany to KC's first grade parent-teacher conference. As we stood in the hallway where Scholastic paperbacks were being sold, Tiffany was greeted by many of the parents, teachers, and PTA parent organizers. Nobody knew me, but they all knew Tiffany. At first it was a little unnerving and surreal.
There was a time I knew just about everybody. Now they all knew my daughter instead. A generation had gone by and a new one was in place. As I watched Tiffany, there was a swell of pride. She handled herself with friendliness and grace. Here was the sweet little girl who shyly walked through the hallways decades ago, now grown up, confident, capable and well liked.
It was quite a shining moment.
I went with Tiffany to KC's first grade parent-teacher conference. As we stood in the hallway where Scholastic paperbacks were being sold, Tiffany was greeted by many of the parents, teachers, and PTA parent organizers. Nobody knew me, but they all knew Tiffany. At first it was a little unnerving and surreal.
There was a time I knew just about everybody. Now they all knew my daughter instead. A generation had gone by and a new one was in place. As I watched Tiffany, there was a swell of pride. She handled herself with friendliness and grace. Here was the sweet little girl who shyly walked through the hallways decades ago, now grown up, confident, capable and well liked.
It was quite a shining moment.
Oh Kay, this post is giving me the tears.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Dina. And your header photo is very emotional:)
ReplyDeleteI thought this was going to be about your grand daughter, so it took me by surprise. Very lovely. The picture of the two of you together sys it all. A job well done, Mama!
ReplyDeleteIt simply amazes me every now and then at how much time has passed since I was a young mother. Generations rise up and pass away. And now I'm elderly! When did that happen? :-)
ReplyDeleteHow the years go by, sigh!
ReplyDeleteI once told my daughter the best part of "getting old" is no longer being in charge. I enjoy being on the sidelines and watching my daughter handle her life and business so professionally.
ReplyDeleteThe new generation has taken over
ReplyDeleteand all those books and other stuff does bring back some nostalgia of my old school's book fairs.
Sometimes we aren't even aware that the baton has been passed.
ReplyDeleteI was so busy raising my son (now 25,) and I purchased so many books from those book fairs. I eventually sent 3 boxes of books to my nieces raising their children! Glad you had a good time. Hadn't thought of a grandparent attending a parent-teacher conference! DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteI was thinking just yesterday about how capable and confident my children are and how proud I am of the way they live their lives and the kind of parents they are. It is great that you got to share that affirming walk through the school with Tiffany.
ReplyDeleteit is interesting to watch our younger generation set up to the responsibilities that were once ours as parents, workers, etc. But satisfying that we helped them accomplish this feat by showing the way.
ReplyDeleteJust wow. I do love moments like these. You did well with your kids.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Reminds me of walking around Sheboygan with Aunt Marge. Everywhere we went, former students came up to her and spoke, calling her "Miss Schmidley," as she had been their teacher years before. Really strange to run into one old guy who had been a teenager when she first began to teach after WWII.
ReplyDeleteNow it's my daughter. Everyone knows her too, and once upon a imd she was a shy little girl, now age 52. She acted as sponsor, producer, etc. for the school ply the other night. Granddaughter Hannah, now graduated and an artist (an art teacher?), produced the programs. Dianne
Oh time. It passes faster with each year. Lovely post, Kay.
ReplyDeleteoh Kay you brought tears to my eyes, what a wonderful description of the passage of time,
ReplyDeleteI loved Scholastic books, and it was wonderful when the children brought home the catalog!
Lovely post, and one I can certainly identify with, but with a difference. Jill is teaching in a school in the same district where her dad and I taught, and where she went to school. Her school is also where her kids, our grandkids, go to school. I have worked with at least five staff members there, including the principal. We are all well known there.
ReplyDeleteThe principal had changed many years ago at my children's school and I don't think there are any of the same teachers there. There's been such a huge turn over. How absolutely fabulous that Jill works in the same district!
DeleteSuch a wonderful post!
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