My Baby Started Kindergarten: 4 Tips for Moms on the First Day of School

This week, my baby started kindergarten—

Sherah Assistant and Mom Heather Cofer

and I’ll never forget it. The buildup, the nerves, the excitement, the tears (mine, not hers).

If you’re about to send your little one off for the first day of school, or you just did, I want to share a few tips I learned in the first week of Kindergarten that might bring you some peace of mind.

1. Let go of expectations

I had pictured the perfect first morning: a big breakfast, a sweet outfit we picked out together, and a calm, memorable send-off. Reality had other plans.

The power went out 10 minutes after I woke up, her “first-day dress” wasn’t the vibe she wanted, and breakfast was quickly scrapped for something that didn’t need to be cooked.

But here’s the thing—they didn’t care. My daughter felt confident in her outfit, loved the “adventure” of eating breakfast in the dark, and had no idea that Plan B was in motion.

But wait, there's more! When my husband and I got home from school drop-off, our power was still out. He suggested we take our dog for a quick walk while we wait for it to come back on. It was the perfect moment for us to connect and take a moment to settle all my emotions before starting the workday. And sure enough, as soon as we got back to the driveway, I received a text that our power had been restored.

Sometimes the best memories come from the unexpected moments.

2. Prep everything!

Those early alarms come faster than you think. Prepping lunches, packing bags, and laying out clothes the night before makes all the difference.

And when that unexpected power outage hit? We were already set, and the morning was far less stressful than it could have been. A little prep makes space for the unexpected… or for you to hit snooze one time!

Walking in together hand-in-hand on the first day of Kindergarten

3. Kids are more ready than we think

I’ll be honest—I was an emotional mess. Proud, nervous, excited, and teary all at once. I kept worrying: would she love it? Would she be scared? Would the bus be overwhelming?

Turns out, she was more than ready. She walked into school that morning with confidence and hopped off the bus that afternoon glowing about how much fun she had. It’s a reminder that while we may worry, our kids often rise to the occasion beautifully.

4. The first week is exhausting—for everyone

Between emotions, new routines, and early mornings, that first week is a whirlwind. Both kids and parents are adjusting, and it showed in our house. Keep plans light, meals simple, and expectations low. Easy dinners and early bedtimes were our saving grace.

Cheers to this new chapter in motherhood

Kindergarten is such a bittersweet milestone. It feels like a big goodbye to one stage of motherhood, and an exciting hello to the next.

If you’re in this season too, give yourself grace. Things won’t go perfectly, but that’s part of the beauty. Your child is ready, and you’re more ready than you think too.

Side note: Typing all of this out made me cry again. These proud mom moments sneak up on you and hit your heart in the best way. Take a deep breath, and soak it in!

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