Better you than me

For 11 years now, I have been a "back to school" parent.  I carry the crumbled school supplies lists to Target,  I fill out the "tell me about your child" questionaires, I take and post the first day of school pictures - every year with a younger child in tow.  Because our kids span many ages (16,14,11,4) - that's high school, middle school, grade school, pre-school- I have four different "mom groups."  I am the youngest in one group, in the middle in two and the old lady mom in one.  In one group, I see moms who have teary eyes as they drop off their oldest at college, knowing that in a year or two they will have no more at home.  In one group, I see moms who have teary eyes as they drop off their kindergartener, knowing that they will be alone during the day.   From the older group, I hear a lot of "better you than me" when they see that I still have a tote full of pre-school snacks, that I still have a companion during the day, that my day is not "free" to do as I want.

But then, I walk away with a small hand in mine, with a half eaten bagel in my bag with a small voice  that says "am I staying with you Mom?" and I think, absolutely you are, because lucky me.