Bay City Tribune

Dressed to impress in new clothes and loaded down with school supplies, Matagorda County school children headed back to school Monday morning.

It was a day filled with excitement for some and anxiety for others.

Our reporter came back to the office with photos of pre-K and kindergarten students being dropped off at school on Monday.

Some of the little ones looked ready to head off on their own and start an adventure while others clung to their parents' hands.

I'm not sure which makes a parent sadder - having to leave a child who is frightened and unsure or suddenly feeling like you aren't needed quite as much anymore.

Both my oldest and youngest cried on their first day of school and I remember my heart breaking as I walked out of the room.

Then there was my middle child who just looked at me and said, "Bye, mom."

He was ready to start learning, have some fun and make friends without mom around. I felt a little lost when I headed home that day.

Now my oldest is starting his third year of college.

He'll be attending University of Texas-Tyler and he moved in with my sister in Kilgore, about 10 minutes from the college, last week.

Guess what?

That same sadness you feel when dropping your little one off for the first day of school hits again when they move away to college.

I don't even want to imagine sending my youngest off.

Fortunately he is still in junior high so I have a few years.

Other students, those playing football and volleyball or marching in the band, ended their summer a few weeks ago when practices began.

Two of mine are playing with the Van Vleck Leopards junior varsity team this year and I had to start getting them to 6 a.m. practices three weeks ago.

That was a great welcome to high school for my ninth grader.

Another concern parents have is getting their children to school safely.

Those who walk need to be reminded of safety practices and crossing at crosswalks with guards.

A new law that will help keep drivers alert in school zones come in effect Sept. 1.

It will be illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving in a school zone.

Bay City police have already begun watching for and handing out warnings to offenders.

Beginning Sept. 1, those warning will be citations.