Home | Culture | The First Day of School is of Great Change

The First Day of School is of Great Change

688 Views

By Yoyo Chiang

September 28, 2016
2:46 pm
Los Angeles, CA

My son just started third grade. On the morning of the first day of school, when I was driving, he told me that he was a bit nervous. He didn’t know who his teacher will be, or who his new classmates will be this year. I told him to relax, and that life will always have moments like this. It is the same for parents when they get new jobs or change companies. They’ll also face a new boss and new colleagues, and there is no need to be nervous. He looked like he was in a very good mood on the way home after school, so I asked him how school was. He said it went very well, and that the teacher chose him as peer supervisor. He said

I told him to relax, and that life will always have moments like this. It is the same for parents when they get new jobs or change companies. They’ll also face a new boss and new colleagues, and there is no need to be nervous.

He looked like he was in a very good mood on the way home after school, so I asked him how school was. He said it went very well, and that the teacher chose him as peer supervisor. He said that he likes his teacher and likes helping the students.

He will be responsible for supervising his classmates and other students during lunch break everyday. He also told me that there is a transfer student from another school in the same class, and gave him a tour around campus.

When we were eating dinner in the dining room, my son said that he could become a convenience store clerk one day. I curiously asked him why,and he said, “You see, I like to talk to people and I can even talk to strangers. If I can work in a store, I can chat with each customer.”

I was a bit surprised with his behavior, since he was rather shy when he was younger. But ever since starting school with a new environment, he started to become more mature and started to be interested in how I meet with clients at my workplace.

Perhaps it was my words in the morning, or his teacher letting him be peer supervisor, or maybe it was his interaction with the new transfer student, or all these combined, my son suddenly discovered his potential and wanted to try it out.

I realized that with his ability and personality, as long as he becomes a good person and finds a good job, there is no need to worry about his future anymore.

Translation: Ireen Chau