Do you have shadows in your bed?

We're saying goodbye to kiddos left and right this time of the year
Unlike our birthday celebrations which we have down to a science,
Our last day celebrations are much more a bit of this and a bit of that
     with random toddler tantrums thrown in

It's their special day, we do all of their favorite things, shower them with hugs and kisses
For our most recent graduate, this involved reading (and rereading) our collection of monster books

including The Great Monster Hunt by Norbert Landa
The first book this kiddo every asked me to read,
when he was finally warming up to us and the classroom
I read this one book for a solid hour yesterday
Each time I finished he piped up it's not a monster, its a mouse!  Read the Monster Hunt again?

Savoring the last moments with this kiddo
We poured so much into him
He grew so much in a year
Hate that he is moving away

Of course I will keep reading your favorite book
After the third reading, the conversation began
     I scared.  Shadows in my bed
     Do you have shadows in your bed?

Note:  I do in deed have shadows in my bed.  After many nights of waking up in panic, staring into the darkness of the room, I went out to buy a nightlight.  Its a retro pink glittery lava lamp and I love it.  It makes the shadows go away

But who needs to bring baggage like that into a classroom.
Enter important life lesson time
     and the conversation that kept repeating for an hour


Yep, sometimes I have shadows in my bed
When I feel scared, I take a deep breath, and feel really really brave
If I'm still scared, I turn on a light- that makes the shadows go away
If I'm still scared I ask for help, from my mom or my dad or a friend

Much head nodding followed by...
I scared.  Shadows in my bed.
You have shadows in your bed?

By the end of the hour the conversation began to look different

I scared.  Shadows in my bed.
You have shadows in your bed?
You feel brave.  I feel brave
Mom and dad help me