If you’ve been an avid reader of this blog (thanks, mom!) or a follower on instagram, you may remember that in a past life, I was in education.  And me being the single, young, just-outta-school educator that I was, Old-Janelle had a lot of opinions on parents.

Even though my kids are only in pre-school, being on the other side has brought somethings to light.  Mostly that I am exactly the type of parent I used to hate.  Yup. You read that right.  If the Old-Janelle saw me, she’d have opinions because I’m pretty much the worst type of parent there is.  I’m needy.  In so many ways.  I need directions to be completely explicit…”Should I have Nico wash his hands before or after he hangs up his coat?…Where, exactly, do you need me to put Leo’s lunch bag?”  I also worry wayyyyy too much about my kids…”Are they being nice and making friends? Are they being too nice and being a pushover.  Or are they not nice enough and sitting alone in a corner on the playground?” I baby them, to no end, because sometimes, it’s just easier…”Oh you wore your backpack all afternoon but see me and immediately make me carry it? That’s cool, I got ya…You can’t put your shoes on at home even though I know you do it at school, no biggie, let me help.”  I also forget to sign things (like the toothbrush letter that I’m just realizing I never even read. Whoops!). And the biggest thing that drove me NUTS is consistent tardiness.  Old-Janelle would have told Mom-Janelle to just get up ten minutes earlier to get to school on time.  Mom-Janelle would smack Old-Janelle in the face and proceed to explain the difficulty of getting two small helpless (no clue how they got that way) children up, fed, dressed, out the door and to school–all alive, and if we’re lucky, with their hair brushed.  It’ ain’t pretty, sister.

So yeah, Mom-Janelle is super annoying.  I know it.  But luckily for me, my children go to the world’s best school and have the world’s best teachers.  Teachers that have held my hand, dried my tears, and listened to every single one of my worries without judgement.  They have made my children their own.  They have loved them just as much as me.  They have helped them go from little babies who have never been away from their mama, to little boys who beg to go to school on the weekends.  They will, never, ever, know how much they mean to me.

And that is why I am thrilled to introduce you to my next family.  Miss Michelle was Leo’s teacher last year, Nico’s teacher this year, and my therapist and friend.  She is loving, fun, BRILLIANT and an overall exceptional human being.  Along with Miss Theo, these two have changed our lives for the better and there is no way we could ever thank them.  If you have children in Charlestown, you want them to have their first school experience with Miss Michelle and Miss Theo.  There is no better way to set them up for a successful school start than being in their classroom–I promise you.

Besides teaching a class of 9 boys (yup, an all male class) Miss Michelle also has five children of her own, just finished a master’s degree and with my nagging…I mean, encouragement…I am hoping her next role will be consultant (on the side, of course…you cannot ever leave the us!!) She needs to open up her own parenting business because she has a way to understand what parents are going through and offer suggestions like no one I’ve ever met.  She is gold and I absolutely believe our paths crossed for a reason.  Although after the 1,000 emails I send her, I’m not soooo sure Michelle would agree 😉

Getting to meet her family was a joy.  These kids are the luckiest.  And so am I.

Love.

Thank you ALL for coming out and hanging with me!!  And thank you for letting us share your mom!