The First Day of Kindergarten: Letting Go While Holding On

Kristen Fox
Aug 19
2 min read

This morning, I watched my little girls, my babies, walk into kindergarten for the very first time. It’s the day every parent knows is coming, but no amount of preparation can truly get you ready. The first day of school feels like both the end of something precious and the beginning of something brand new.

For five years, my twins have been side by side in everything. From the moment they were born, they’ve shared every milestone, every adventure, and every stage of growing up. And today, for the very first time, they didn’t share the same classroom.

Watching them walk down the hallway hand-in-hand, then let go to step into separate doors, broke me a little. Their bond is something I’ve always cherished, and seeing them split into two classrooms made me ache. But at the same time, my heart swelled with pride. This is what raising them right means, teaching them to be brave, to find their own way, and to stand strong as individuals while always knowing they’ll find their way back to each other.

And they will. At the end of the school day, I know they’ll run into each other’s arms, bursting with stories, and then run to mine. Because no matter how big their world gets, no matter how far they wander apart, home is what they’ll always return to.

As a mom, that’s the bittersweet beauty of kindergarten. It’s the first of many “letting go” moments, the first of many days where I’ll watch them walk away while silently whispering a prayer that the world is kind. And it’s also the first of many times I’ll get to see them walk back—braver, stronger, and still carrying the love we’ve built together.

Today was hard. Today was beautiful. And today was the beginning of something we’ll all remember forever. 💛

Here are a few things I did to make it special:

Positive Affirmations in the Bathroom - I wanted to start a new tradition for them on the first day of school, and while it may not be super powerful this year (since they can't read), I hope the impact will improve in the years to come.
Special Necklace - I purchased necklaces for both girls with their initial on them....and a second set for me. I told them whenever they are missing me, they can touch that necklace, and I will know and send all the good energy back to them.
Donut for breakfast (with scrambled eggs) - a sweet surprise when they came downstairs
Flowers from Dad - Dad brought both girls a small bouquet of flowers home from work to celebrate their first day.