"Mom, quit stressing."

It's that time of year. August rolls in and the school year ahead looms large. All summer, I've been reading about teaching, excitedly developing new ideas, but now as the year races toward me, and the to do list before school starts grows exponentially, I begin to get edgy. I need to get ready!

I've looked over my class list - seen their faces. I imagine the relationship I will build with each, how I will learn about them, how I will reach them and teach them. Does everyone do this??? I love this part, but I also worry about it. When I read about ideas, I feel I've done it all wrong in the past. Can I do better this year? Can I implement in a consistent manner? Ugh.

My daughter just left for a triathlon in another state. On her way out, her parting words were, "Mom, quit stressing." I didn't even know that I was.