7 years thrown away

As the epic clearance of the study continues multiple boxes of our daughters secondary school exercise books have just been deposited at the recycling centre ♻️.

Every book she had written in during her 7 years at high school was kept, for who knows what reason. How long should these thing be kept? She certainly doesn’t want them and they are of no value to anyone, so why do we, as parents, feel the need to keep such stuff?

I did have a flick through some of them and it was pleasing to see some of the teachers’ comments on work that she’d done well, and interesting to see some of the comments on things she hadn’t.

There were also some art and DT things she’d made that are no use to man nor beast. I did seek permission before we embarked on this process and her response was “just get rid“. Clearly she feels no attachment.

Of course we’ve kept school reports, certificates and achievements, but keeping all of this extra stuff seems futile, so why did we do it in the first place?

Everything a child does or produces is precious and important. It was their hard work, so who am I to decide what might be important to her in the future.

I didn’t have this much trouble throwing out my own degree papers. Once it was done, it was finished with. But that was my choice. Throwing out something which technically belongs to someone else is harder.

I suppose its another acknowledgement of the fact that she doesn’t live her anymore. Not permanently any way. Her room will always be her room and she will always have that space to visit or return to if she needs it. She needed it during lockdown #1 but so far lockdown #2 looks more stable from her work perspective, and she has a good flat mate to stay with, who is unlikely to be able to return to his family home.

Just the next phase in parenting. Letting go of those innocent (🤣) years.