There is no doubt about it. The weather the last few days has made us all see fall is coming. Summer sports have finally calmed down championships have been won. Trophies have been awarded in the summer. Has been a success throughout Goshen County. Fair has finally ended and now it’s time for our schoolchildren to head back to class.

It’s a tough time for some as moms and dads send their kindergartners out the door to see the adventures of the world inside of a classroom.

For some parents, this may be the first time their child has been gone all day long. It’s a rough period of adjustment for all families as they fall into the new school routine full of schedules, practices and sporting events. 

Some of us are sending our children off to their first year of college. We are planning, prepping and getting ready to see our child start a brand new life without us. To us, we wish that we could go back to the first day of kindergarten with our child because it happens in a flash. It’s a rough period of adjustment for all families as they stand and wait for weekend and holiday visits. 

Throughout Goshen County, the majority of us are transitioning into something exciting whether it be first-time school students or college freshmen. Everyone in our community is adjusting to our new fall frame of mind. It’s time for football games, homecoming season and bonfires, but as we begin to join together on a different level of community back in our school systems.

It’s time to remind us all to be a bit more kind, it’s time to think about teaching our children that it’s OK to accept others who are not the same as us. It’s OK for our children to see the differences and other individuals but not to poke fun at those differences or mock or belittle or insult we are all different.

The thing about being human is there are really no two of us that are the same. We may have different beliefs, different thoughts, different goals, and different dreams not to mention we may need braces or our hair may be unruly. We may have glasses, but we still have a heart we still have feelings, so be kind. It’s an important message to relate to our children as they enter their classrooms for the first time this year to make friends have fun and most importantly treat everyone with respect, kindness and dignity.

Don’t forget to be extra patient with your children this week and the following weeks to come as they adjust to school and classroom settings. Encourage them to put their best foot forward to always be kind. 

If you see a mother or a father standing at the doors of a school or a college, wiping their tears this week, be kind. 

As you drive on the streets of Torrington, Lingle and Yoder, please be mindful of the children crossing the street. Some of them may not always see you so please keep your eyes peeled and don’t drive with distractions.