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By Meredith Ethington

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Humor Parenting Tips Practical Tips The Elementary School Years

10 Things You Can’t Control Anymore Once Your Kid Starts Public School

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It’s no secret that I’m kind of a control freak. But, once my kids started school, I realized quickly that there were things I no longer had control over.

My oldest is in the 5th grade, and I now know that there are just things that are part of public school life whether I like it or not.

Here are 10 things you lose control over once your kids start public school. Whether you like it or not.

child girl draws with colored pencils in kindergarten

The germs that come into your house.

Just a note coming home from the school that there was a lice outbreak last year had me itching my head for weeks. 

Once your kids start school, you can’t control whether or not a stomach bug ravages your household anymore than whether tiny bugs infest your kid’s sweet heads that you used to love to kiss.

My advice is to take a deep breath, throw a hand sanitizer in their backpack and hope for the best.

What they hear.

Never in a million years did I think I’d be discussing what bloody mary was over dinner with my children. And, I’m not talking about the drink.

Your kids will come home either terrified of something, or asking too many questions about something else.

And, you’ll just have to be prepared for just about anything that comes out of their mouths after over hearing it at school.

Avoiding awkward conversations. 

Before my kids started school, the only awkward conversations I had to worry about usually took place in my own home when the youngest wanted an in-depth explanation of where babies come from.

But, once your kids start public school, life is full of awkward conversations, and they are happening with just about everyone. The teachers, the principal, parents that your child doesn’t get along with…you name it, awkward just comes with the territory when your kids go to school.

What they wear. 

No matter how hard you try, you will lose the battle eventually and you’ll resign to sending your kid to school in whatever they want to avoid the hassle of an argument over breakfast.

And, bets are, whatever they choose is never seasonally appropriate.

Forget buying back to school clothes, and do what I did – just ask your child what they will want to wear everyday and stock up on those.

For us, it is basketball shorts and t-shirts. Next year, I’m sure it will be something different. Sorry, universe, some days my kid will look homeless because I just don’t have the energy anymore.

Whether or not they finish their lunch. 

Lovingly packing a lunch in the morning only to find it still sitting in the same spot in the afternoon will become the norm. No matter how healthy of a lunch you pack, your kid will still want the unhealthy food they see their friend’s eating.

So, go ahead and embrace the fact that lunch is most likely optional in their mind, and stock up on healthy-ish after school snacks.

Your kitchen. 

Because your kid is too distracted to actually eat lunch at school, the result will be complete loss of control over your kitchen after school.

You’ll find snacks and crumbs in crevices you didn’t know existed, and the whole neighborhood will be in your fridge looking for a snack like foraging animals.

Your kitchen is no longer yours. It is and will forever and ever be theirs until they move out.

Not yelling when you’re all getting ready in the morning. 

I muster all my strength to not yell when my kids are getting ready for school, but sometimes, it’s impossible.

After all, reading every ingredient off the back of the cereal box, backwards, while jumping on one foot, isn’t exactly helping them get ready for school. Your kids will at some point stop hearing your voice, and you will at some point have to yell, “YOU DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!” to get them to the school bus stop on time.

Participating in fundraisers. 

Fundraisers are part of most schools, and you know your school deserves the money, so you’ll buy the overpriced wrapping paper, or the flavored popcorn, and you’ll learn to love it. Because those teachers sure do deserve all the help they can get.

How much they love school. 

My oldest loves school, but my middle child – not so much. You really don’t have control over whether or not they love school, but you can definitely impact whether or not they will succeed.

Show them that school is important, help them, and even if they don’t love it like you want them to, they will be successful because you’re going through it all with them.

Your sanity. 

I mean, honestly, the preschool years are hard, but the school years are hard, too.

Projects, after school activities, common core homework, school carnivals, recess games you don’t want your child knowing, head lice, and packing lunches are all a necessary evil to getting your kid through school.

You might go a little crazy hearing all about the 4th grade girl drama, or want to poke your eyes trying to trick your 1st grader into reading, but I have no doubt it will all be worth it in the end.

Even if we lose control over our sanity in the process.


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Welcome! I’m Meredith.

Mom. Writer. Diet Coke connoisseur. Born and raised Texan. Lover of real talk and laughter with a hint of sarcasm mixed in.

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Meredith Ethington

perfectpending

Mom • Author • Mental Health Therapist In Training
Grab my new book, The Mother Load, available now. 👇👇

Night night! 😤 Night night! 😤
If you missed my last post about how raising teens If you missed my last post about how raising teens can wreck you mentally….wellll this is part of the reason why. So lonely! But we are in this together somehow. 😂 Make sure to check out my latest substack and grab a copy of my book —- The Mother Load!
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Read the rest on my Substack. Link in profile.
WHAT IF THIS IS THE HAPPIEST I’LL EVER BE AND I WHAT IF THIS IS THE HAPPIEST I’LL EVER BE AND I MISS IT? What if I miss the best time of my life. What if it’s right this second?
What if it’s right now while I’m in finals week of grad school, and have a kid that’s sick? 
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I miss a lot about those younger years that have already slipped away. My youngest is sick, much like in this picture, but he is too big to snuggle in my arms now when he’s running a fever. 

Today I had the thought, what if this is it? What if this IS the happiest I’ll ever be?
For a moment, I lingered in that thought as I stood over my sink and did the dishes. I started to cry.
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New year, same me. 😂 #mentalhealth #anxiety #de New year, same me. 😂
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"I don't care" as I literally care about every sin "I don't care" as I literally care about every single thing.
I’ve got to admit - I’m kind of over all of th I’ve got to admit - I’m kind of over all of this. *sweeps arm generally at planet earth*

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The state of our economy. Social media. People being unemployed. People being racist and homophobic. The debate over politics. People judging people. ALLLLLL of it. 

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Some days the world feels like total crap. Everything is a mess. Everything costs too much. For E-V-E-R-Y-B-O-D-Y. 

Yes, even for you Karen. ➡️➡️ to keep reading.
Yes. Boundaries are healthy and good. And they mea Yes. Boundaries are healthy and good. And they mean someone loves you that much to communicate them! Love this wisdom from @wittyidiot
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But, the loss of yourself in motherhood is real. And It’s not talked about enough." 

Do you feel like you lost yourself in motherhood? How? I really want to know. 

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This memory made me laugh this morning. 🤣 This memory made me laugh this morning. 🤣
Saaaame. @womenwhorunwiththemoon Saaaame. @womenwhorunwiththemoon
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Found in my pediatricians office. 🤣 What’s th Found in my pediatricians office. 🤣 What’s the moral of the story friends? If you think your household is always sick - it’s because they probably are. Kids make everything more germ-y
Here’s what I do know 👇 No one knows what th Here’s what I do know 👇

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We all feel like imposters. 
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We’re all going to be OK. 
You’ve got this (as much as any of us do) 😘

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"By trying to be perfect, we're actually trying to "By trying to be perfect, we're actually trying to avoid being human." 

Do you struggle with perfectionism? Parenthood has helped me quite a bit, but It's something I've battled my whole life. I still struggle occasionally, although it's gotten better. But, let's stop trying to avoid being human and instead embrace ourselves an in turn embrace the entire human race. ❤️ I'd love to hear how you embrace being imperfect. 

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Mood. Mood.
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It’s true! Researchers have found that as long a It’s true! Researchers have found that as long as you’re doing the repair after mistakes the other times - then 30% is enough! Sometimes I worry I’m not doing it right but I definitely know I’m doing it right 30% of the time! 
Probably a whole lot more to be honest. I bet you are too. #momlife #encouragement #momspiration
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