Yesterday was Number 5’s last day of preschool.
Today was Number 6’s last day.
I have always been a crier.
Ever since I can remember.
On these last days of school, I am usually a disaster.
But things have been so crazy, that I have not allowed myself to think about the fact that yesterday Number 5 walked out of preschool for the last time.
Ever.
And I honestly didn’t realize that this was the last week of preschool until last Thursday.
It kind of snuck up on me.
I have been so busy that I did not do one thing for the teachers.
And I didn’t plan on buying them anything, really.
But I wanted to write a note.
To several of them.
Because as a former teacher, I don’t think I still possess a single present given to me by a student.
But I do have these:
Lots of them.
I have them in a folder in the back of a file cabinet in my office.
Every once in a blue moon, I will pull them out and read them.
They still mean a lot to me.
Number 6 is our fourth child to attend this preschool that finished up today.
I’ve written about this school before.
I love it.
LOVE. IT.
Number 6 has one more year there.
And Number 7 has two.
So knowing that we will be back next year made it a little easier for me yesterday and today.
Number 6 will have the same teachers that Number 5 did.
Number 7 will have the same teachers that Number 6 did.
So I will see them all again in a couple months.
All of them, that is, except for two.
Two teachers who are retiring.
Two teachers who I really, really appreciate.
I wanted to write notes to them to give to them today.
But I just didn’t get to it.
So I’m just going to write one of them right now. To the music teacher.
Because I know she reads the blog.
And I know how I am…if I don’t do this one now, I may never do it.
So here goes…
Dear Mrs. M,
I would like you to know that on these last two days of preschool for Number 5 and 6, I made it through two drop offs, and one-and-a-half pick ups, and I did not shed one single tear.
And then I saw you.
And you put me over the edge.
I didn’t know until about ten days ago that you were retiring after this year.
My first thought was,
No.
NO!
Number 7 will never have music with Mrs. M!
NO! NO! NO!
I am so sad for Number 7.
I am so sad for Number 7 because I am so happy for Numbers 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Because they got to experience you.
Because you were their first introduction to music class.
And they loved you.
Very often, I would hear them singing songs here at home while they were playing.
“Where did you learn that?” I would ask them.
“Mrs. M taught me,” they would say.
We have sung countless rounds of Skinamarinky Dinky Dink together.
Because of you.
You probably already know this, but it is impossible to sing Skinamarinky Dinky Dink without smiling.
So thank you.
Thank you for bringing music,
and smiles,
into our house.
Thank you for being a part of our lives not just at school, but at home.
Thank you for appreciating Number 4’s personality.
Thank you for helping Number 6 adjust to preschool. He did a decent amount of crying those first couple months, but I don’t think he ever cried in your class.
He loved music.
They all did.
Thank you for standing at the end of the hall and saying hello and goodbye each day not just to my kids, but to every single child who walked in and out of the doors of school each day.
Thank you for making all of the students you saw for the twenty eight years you were there feel special.
And, Mrs. M, thank you for appreciating me.
I have to tell you, I have always had a lot of respect for you.
But when you first pulled me aside about a year ago and said to me, “I read your post on Friday night. I couldn’t stop laughing…”
I thought,
Holy shit.
Mrs. M reads the blog?
And she still talks to me?
All those curses?
Wow.
Mrs. M is really f*cking cool.
When I saw you today, there was one more thing I thought of.
I don’t know if you remember, but back in December of 2012, on the night of the Sandy Hook shootings, I saw you.
I was walking through the Big Y.
And as soon as I saw you, I started to cry.
That day was so messed up. Having something so awful happen just miles away was, well, really fucked up.
And seeing you felt comforting.
And safe.
Just like I felt every time I saw you at the end of the hallway when I dropped the kids off at school.
Walking to the end of the hall to the calming, centered, and smiling Mrs. M.
I will really miss that.
A lot.
You have been a constant in our family for the past 5 years.
And we will miss you.
So I don’t know.
Maybe it’s inappropriate for a parent to say this to a teacher,
but you know me.
So,
Mrs. M, thank you.
From the bottom of my heart,
Thank you.
Oh yeah.
One more thing…
Skinamarinky dinky dink,
Skinamarinky do,
I love yooooou…
Skinamarinky dinky dink,
Skinamarinky do,
I loooooove yooooou.
I love you in the morning,
And in the afternoon,
I love you in the evening,
and underneath the mooooooooon.
Skinamarinky dinky dink,
skinamarinky dooooooo,
IIIII.
LOOOOVE.
YOOOOU.
I really mean it!
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII,
LLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE
YYYYYYYYYYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!
Boop boop be do 😀
Number 1! Please keep me there!
VOTE ! VOTE! VOTE ! VOTE! VOTE ! VOTE! VOTE ! VOTE!
I’ll keep writing, you keep voting!
All you need to do is click on the banner above, the one that is flashing VOTE FOR ME!, to register a vote for me!
You can vote one time every 24 hours from your computer and cell phone! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! I really appreciate your support!
Check out and “like” the not-your-average-mom.com facebook page!
Follow me on Twitter @mom_not_average
Donna says
Really wonderful!! You show a lot of appreciation for teachers, having been one!! Hope you will continue.
Joanna Norland says
Thanks for this — I have always written year-end notes to my kids’ teachers, and in a good year, I also try to write a thank you to the principal, but life gets busy, so knowing first-hand that a teacher values this feedback is the nudge I need to make sure to keep at it.
Maureen says
Oh Mrs. M., I love that woman so much. Olivia had her in preschool and absolutely ADORED her as did I. Love you Mrs. M! Happy retirement!!! Oh and thanks for makin me cry this morning Susie.