Westley has always known Claire. She's always been a constant in his life, whether it be as his babysitter, his secret Santa, as his pretend-girlfriend, his confident, as the person he could always rely on.
But she's also always been the girl he lov...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I'm thirty eight and our kids just started kindergarten.
The first day that they started, Claire and I dropped them off at the school, we basically walked all hand in hand and Claire practically had to drag me back to our car when it was time for them to get to class. Today, they're taking the bus and going to school on their own.
I am freaking out.
I'm having a hard time accepting that we're letting our kids go out into the world. They've always been with us. We never sent them to daycare or preschool. We had them hangout with other kids at the park, or during play dates, but never in a context where we weren't like five feet away from them.
Sure, we've had their grandparents look after them when Claire and I went on a weekend getaway or on date night, but it was still in the family.
Kindergarten is different. This is the beginning of our kids becoming independent. And I know, we're years away from them being adults moving away from the house, I know we're still their parents and we still get to make up all the rules, but this is when their lives start to be more than just define by the world we have offered them.
It freaks me out, I'm scared that I can't control what's going to happen to them when they're out of the house. I trusted my parents and Claire's parents. Who knows what these strangers at school will do with our kids?
I just can't fathom the fact that we accept to let strangers be in charge of our kids just like that. And I know that I'm being an overprotective father. I know I shouldn't be freaking out like this, but it's like having my hand on Claire's belly protectively all over again. I still need to protect them.
I remember how mean kids could be at school. I remember being alone all the time. I'm scared they'll be left out. I think Claire and I raised them right. I think we tried the best that we could to make our kids decent human beings, but being a decent human being doesn't necessarily mean you'll make friends.
Kids can be so mean.
I wish they could have someone like Claire growing up. Not because I want them to start thinking marriage potential, but because I want them to have someone that's always got their back the way Claire always had mine.
Claire rolls her eyes at me when I voice my worries. "Westley, there's two of them. They'll never be alone. They'll always have each other. Do you honestly think anyone could mess with either one of them when they're together? They don't need anyone else to watch their back. They already have each other."
She's right, I know she is.
"And just because they'll start meeting new people, doesn't mean they'll start loving you less. Our kids will never stop loving you West," she adds.
I hug my wife. She knows, without needing me to say it, of course she does.
So, I listen to Claire. And when I go to pick up the kids and they thrown themselves in my arms, I hug them back. I could never control my little demons, but what I can do is love them with all my heart.
