It’s my daughter’s first day of daycare. I put her down and tell the teachers what time I’ll be back to pick her up. I wave bye to my lil miss and say, “I’ll see you later sweetie.” She doesn’t cling to my leg like a drier sheet, screaming, “Mommy, please don’t go! I want to go with you! Please take me with you!” Instead, she simply runs off to play with the other children.

I’m amazed and happy at how easy this is, but yet, deep inside I’m crushed. I wish to at least comfort my little girl somewhat and say, “You’ll have fun at school, make friends, learn a lot of new things. I’ll be back later to pick you up, it’s only for a few hours.” I watch my little girl from afar, babbling away with two other little girls her age. I say bye to her teachers and leave.

The entire day I was curious what my lil miss was up to. How was her day was going. When I arrived to pick her up it was the moment I sought earlier. She ran up to me and clung to me like that drier sheet I was looking for earlier. She missed me and I missed her.