by Sangeetha Narayan

Created on: January 25, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Every thing had been finalized! The application had been filled, registration fees paid, medical forms and vaccination records submitted and my little one potty trained well almost potty-trained. In a week's time, Neha was supposed to start pre-school and I was already tired! Starting from the day I'd researched pre-schools for my daughter, to the day I'd finalized and registered, I'd been going back and forth between schools, doctor and the internet. I'm not sure about Neha, but I was ready to send her off to pre-school or so I thought!

A week before her pre-school started, my anxiety began. I don't think I would have been this nervous when my pre-school started (Ah, to be a child again)! What is it about mothers and separation anxiety? There was a time when I'd been looking forward to sending my kid off to school to catch a break. I mean, isn't that every mother's dream relaxing with a cup of coffee and enjoying the sound of silence?

But, that's when the paradox in a mother's life begins! Just when your dream begins to shape in to a reality, life hits you hard with those nagging questions that apparently have been residing at the back of your head! Will she manage to go pee-pee and potty in a new place? Will she adjust to the new place and new people? If she gets a boo-boo, will they take care of her? What am I going to do without her?

Every person has this calm, sensible and behind-the scene voice that assures them that everything was going o be fine. The truth Logic and sense got thrown out of my mind, the day I decided that my daughter was ready for pre-school!

Well, the great day finally arrived! I woke my little one, a little earlier than usual. I guess I wanted to spend that extra valuable time before I sent her packing to an unknown territory. She seemed pretty cheerful and excited about going to school (kids, what do they know?). After-all, I'd been preparing her for this great day for the past couple of weeks, "Neha, you've to go to school on Monday. You can have fun with your friends and Mommy will be back to pick you up after some time, Ok?" She happily nodded and went off to play with her imaginary friends and toys. Of course, what my three year old really understood is a debatable question.

I don't think I'd ever been more aware of my heart-beats, as I'd been that day. I went with her in to her classroom and she just let go of my hand, eager to explore that new exciting place! I stood there for a few minutes and soon realized that my precious

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