As June draws to a close, my son will be finishing up his first year of middle school. It?s a cliché to say ?they grow up so fast,? but people say it all the time, of course, because it?s so true. His first day of kindergarten, when he was just four years old, is still fresh in my mind.
Like many parents, I had a mix of emotions about such a big milestone, but mostly, I felt incredibly lucky that day. I watched as my little boy sauntered off to his classroom, backpack laden with supplies, excited for what lay ahead. On the playground, before the bell rang, he?d posed for pictures and his dad and I did a video interview with him about his aspirations, starting a special family tradition that we?ve continued every year since.
I knew in that moment, watching him walk through the doorway of his kindergarten class, that I was fortunate to be able to actually enjoy my child?s first day of school. I knew he would be in good hands, that we would be back for him in just a few short hours, and that we would listen to him prattle on about all that he had experienced on his first day. I was excited for my little person and all he would learn. And as an Indigenous mom, I?m keenly aware of what a privilege that is. I knew he would be safe.
This wasn?t the reality of Indigenous moms before me, in the time of residential schools. Many of those moms?not that many years ago?had their kids ripped from their arms by government agents or RCMP officers. They didn?t know when their children wou...