Walk Me Into School | Seattle Senior Portrait Photographer

Tilly

Photographer

Seattle Senior Portrait Photographer | Walk Me Into School

Sometimes all we need to know is that someone has our back. No matter what.

My four-year-old son has to be talked into going to preschool every single day. About four months ago, I finally said to him, “Henley, if you aren’t having a good time at preschool, tell your teacher to call me and I will come get you. No matter what.” He agreed to this arrangement and reminds me of it every day during drop off.

This conversation is followed by a request: “Mommy, hold me. I want to be shy.” He then begs me to pick him up and buries his head in my shoulder, completely unaware that at four years old he is 40 pounds and half the length of my body. I struggle every morning, carrying him, his backpack, and my keys as I find my way to the table to sign him into school. He then clings to me like a koala bear until something in the room is suddenly more interesting than my arms around him. He does a 180 and briskly asks me for a hug, a kiss and just like that, he walks off.

This has been my morning routine for the past one and a half years.

Today was an entirely different story.

We walked to the grassy spot halfway from the car and the preschool, I fully expected the tape to replay, needing to hold him but instead, he pulled on my arm. I stopped walking and kneeled down so that we were eye to eye.

“Mom, if you get scared at work today, all you have to do is come here and get me. I will make it okay.”

Stunned, I stared at him, my little man. “Okay,” was all I could muster out of my mouth as he reached for his backpack from my hands, put it on his back, grabbed my hand and walked confidently into preschool.

I had to ask for the kiss and hug this morning.

Sometimes, when someone is behind us no matter what, it gives us the strength to grow and change in ways we never imagined. Document it. Remember it. Years become moments that filter into memories.

This family is about to have their little girl go to college. I can’t even imagine. Congrats H family!