Seeing your child suffer from anxiety is hard. Like with anything else, there are good days and bad days. But when you see your child kick anxiety's butt, there's nothing like it...

Toady was a good day.

Today, my big girl asked me to drop her off instead of parking and walking her into school.

A complete 180 from this time last year, and a huge difference from just 3 weeks ago!

Last year drop offs were full of tears, anxiety, and “mama don’t make me go”. Last year my big girl had a really hard time adjusting to kindergarten.

Although there were no tears this year, there was anxiety.

Every morning as we walked down the hill to her school, her hand would grip mine tighter and tighter with each nearing step.

Each morning I would wait with her at the gate until one of her friends arrived, so she wouldn’t have to walk in alone.

Each morning I would walk away with a nervous knot in my stomach, hoping she was going to be OK.

As she watched one of her good friends going through the drop off line on the second week of school, she told me that she never wanted to be dropped off.

I let her know that was OK, but told her that she might surprise herself one day and decide that she wants to be dropped off.

Then last week out of nowhere, she nonchalantly said, “I think I want to be dropped off tomorrow morning.” I was shocked and slightly excited.

OK...so maybe I was a little too excited. I mean, I was finally going to be able to roll through the drop off line, still in pj's and possibly not wearing a bra!

I blurted out an overly excited, “Really?!” And I think my overzealous response made her question her decision, as she quickly retracted her statement.

Once again, I reassured her. Letting her know that there was no rush to be dropped off and she would know when she was ready.

As we were on our way to school this morning, in a slightly shaky voice she said, “Mom, I think I’m ready to be dropped off today.”

‘OK, don’t blow it this time’, I thought to myself.

I took a deep breath…

“That’s great. I am so proud of you. I know that doing new things is scary for you. I know that you worry about things that aren’t familiar. But today you are choosing to be brave. I am always proud of you, but today I am extra proud. Today you are proving to yourself that you can do anything.”

I looked in the mirror and saw the biggest smile on her face. Her head was held high and I could see her beaming with pride. And in that moment, my heart burst into a million pieces.

To see your kid conquer their fears and overcome their anxiety is nothing short of amazing.

She surprised both of us today, and we both learned something…

She learned that she can overcome her fears. And I learned that I don’t have to worry about her as much as I have been.

Parenting is challenging. It’s a roller coaster of emotions. We want to see our kids grow and become independent, but at the same time, we can’t help but worry about them along the way.

Today was a good day.

Today my big girl kicked anxiety's butt!

Today I let go a little more, and will now worry a little less.

Sure, there will be more situations that arise that will cause her to be anxious. But today taught us both that she can and will overcome them.

This post was originally posted on Moms Of The Whine Table.