Our kids are well beyond the kindergarten stage, so why have I kept their school papers all these years?
Denial that they are grown and gone
Nostalgia for those sweet days with our kids
Avoiding emotions
These papers are proof that I accomplished something as a home educator.
NO MORE. This week I got rid of nearly all my children’s home school papers, saving just a few things that make my heart flip. I have emptied several shelves this week, yet somehow the bookcases are still full. My random piles of books are finding homes on the empty shelves, and I am gaining momentum in my ability to part with things.
Educating my children was a big part of my life, so this process of parting with papers is emotional. I have learned that most children are not sentimental about their school projects, so there is no need to save much. I know now that whatever I save is mainly for me. Understanding this has made the process much easier. I remind myself that I don’t need every writing sample, but I would like a few pages of each child’s writing and some special projects and art. This script made it possible for me to part with several armloads of paper and workbooks, which I lowered into the garbage can, carefully, as I would into a grave.
It occurs to me that keeping a small, curated collection is a greater tribute to these years than a bunch of binders bursting with paper.
After each session of cleaning, I comfort myself by reading or cross stitching. All these realizations and diversions help me to face the task of letting go.
