Back To School: Am I Ready?

Back to school in the eyes of parents is already a lot to process. We start receiving the emails and phone calls saying “welcome back students and parents, this is going to be a great year!” And my gosh don't even get me started on those long back to school checklists.

The thing is, now that we are adjusting to this “new normal,” I don’t know if I’m ready…

Let me introduce myself,

My name is Anali and I am a mother of a preschooler! That's right, my son has NEVER been to school, period, and now he is starting his first year ever in the midst of a pandemic. I want to be completely honest with you, I’m feeling a mix of emotions and that's okay, but I wanted to share this with you because you must be feeling the same way.

As a mom, I always want what's best for my son and have frequently been asking myself if preschool is the best thing for him right now. I won’t lie, I have a case of the “WHAT IFS'' 

I constantly reminded myself that my fears are valid, but how do I cope with these ideas that are constantly lingering in my head.

Alongside my son’s adjustment, I started to realize that I will soon have “me” time again and it has been a long time since I remembered what that was like! I am starting to question what that time looks like though, I mean having hours to myself without hearing “Mom Mom Mom” every five minutes sounds both relaxing yet stressful. So what exactly does that mean for me? The only obvious answer; me time means investing in me. It is time that I remember and pursue the essence of Anali, not “Mom.” Because before I was “Mom” (an honor of a title) I was just Anali and she had dreams and aspirations that she should remember. Now, your dreams and aspirations may look different from mine, but we can at least agree that we both deserve time to love on ourselves and nurture our soul. 

Before I wrote this I was a total wreck (That woman crying in the video, yeah thats me) Really! All my fears and anxieties would have written a horror blog, maybe even convinced myself that Preschool is not the move. I confided my feelings to Rheena who immediately told me the sentence all parents deserve to  hear, “You ARE a good [Mom].” And that’s when it hit me, all of my fears are derived from the feeling of guilt. As a mom, I never want to fail my son and I was scared that my decisions would affect him. Rheena reminded me that I just needed to breathe, feel good about my decisions, and trust that my son will be okay. I know I was his first teacher (and forever teacher), but I’m hopeful that the great individuals the universe puts in his path will forever change his life for the good. He is growing up and I can't wait to see him fulfill his goals and aspirations in life!

Thanks to Rheena, we were able to curate a back to school checklist of our own to help make the transition to this “new normal” easier! And I highly recommend it to you too!

 ANALI'S BACK TO SCHOOL CHECKLIST

1. Amazonite Keychain: Something I can easily hang on Kylo’s backpack. I really like this is a heart chakra stone that will help guide my son to overcome obstacles and challenges with all the new changes he is about to take on.
   
2. Happy Buddha: My son instantly gravitated to this Buddha especially. I’ve always known my son as my happy boy and I felt that he needed this little buddy to go with to school so he can begin each day with optimism.
   

3. Peaceful AF Spray: I mean the name speaks for itself! I love the idea of spraying this on his backpack every morning before school and when he gets back. It's like a start and closure ritual to bring peace to our day! 

4. Good Juju Face Spray & Clear Quartz Roller: This is the duo for me! I love having that moment to myself in the morning where I can start my day with some self love! I chose Clear Quartz specifically because it purifies and re-energize my chakra field so that my mind, core and base are all working in harmony at their highest potential.
   
5. Black Tourmaline Necklace: This is the “bodyguard” stone that provides protection. This will help purify my energy.
   
6. Just Breathe Necklace: Arguably my favorite piece, It is the perfect reminder to stay calm and just breathe. Seriously, when I feel stressed I like to fidget with my necklace and take deep breaths.
   
7. Citrine, Aquamarine, Carnelian and Selenite Charging Pad: I love my trio! I am manifesting success, inner peace, and courage. The best part is I can choose what stones I want with me during the day and can put them back on their pad to charge.
   
8. Custom Bracelets*: You have probably heard of MaeMae’s Good Juju Stone Bracelet Bar. I loved the idea of creating matching custom bracelets for me and my little one so that we will have a piece of each other when we miss each other. I chose stones that I felt were good for us, so it feels completely personal!
   

*Custom bracelets made in store. Contact us for a special request.

**Click the product name to view the product on our online store

With love,

Anali (A peaceful back to school mommy)