In all my work with students and their writing, I struggle to squeeze in any regular time for my own. Thus, I’m looking forward to writing for an entire month as part of the Slice of Life Challenge from Two Writing Teachers. I miss being part of a scholarly, academic community, more so than I realized.
I currently teach sophomore and senior English in Boston. I love young adult literature, teach graduate classes in literacy, write about equity and students of color on this blog, believe that #weneeddiversebooks…
For this blog, though, I’m looking forward to writing about being a mom. On my own. Some days are great. Some days aren’t. The living is in between, and the joy for all these moments is quite immense.
My son (9-months old this week) attends day care in my school. I drop him off and then proceed upstairs to teach for the day and we reunite at day’s end. A joyful mother-son reunion. What I realized as we made our way home on Friday was that I miss him. Deeply. Crazy, given that we are in the same building (but our distance of him on the first floor and me on the fifth of a huge building and my limited planning time might as well make that distance miles and miles).
That is why the weekends are wonderful. He is quite curious, and everything is an opportunity to explore (thank goodness he’s not yet mastered crawling, allowin
g me a few more days before mobility creates an entirely different set of demands). A cardboard box that awaited transport to the recycling bin provided a sustained experience for play. He contented himself while I simply watched. The fact that he makes me pause and be present–that I actually have moments to watch, to enjoy, to observe along with him–is incredibly lovely. I need to remember that.
Single Mom So Far 
Cardboard boxes are the best doorway to childhood fun – my kids always had the best times (and now the best memories) of their times with empty boxes. Your son is beautiful!
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Oh, that face! He’s beautiful!!
I am a working mom, too. My girls are 3 and 5. I know exactly how you feel about missing them so much during the day. Exactly. When I drive to pick them up at the end of the work day, I am actually longing for them. It is so hard to be apart sometimes.
And that face….
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Welcome!!! I have to admit I miss those days when a simple empty box would be a treasure! Definitely enjoy these moments!
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Oh, that little face! How sweet! What kid doesn’t love playing with an empty box? I just found my 6 year old and 4 year old sitting in an empty box together only a few minutes ago. It never gets old!
Welcome to the slicing community! I look forward to reading more!
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I feel this way too! My daughter is 10. And I miss her. I just want that TIME and to cuddle and be with her and learn to know her more as she grows and changes.
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