It was back to school last week with the new academic year starting. This year was different to previous years, as we saw you headed off to the big school with new teachers and classmates to get to know. You had met some of them during your transitions days when you were still in your other school, but that first week felt momentous…real…as you really are in BIG SCHOOL! Who knows if it will be your last school?!

In any case, you knew it was a significant time in your life and you let me document it with my camera. For which, I am truly grateful because there are not many times now when you’d be patient with me making photos of you or be a willing participant. Those days of freely documenting your every move from when you were a baby and toddler to your early tweens are becoming less and less. But you are becoming mature to realise how important photographs mean to us, not just me, having recently lost our dog. Looking at the collection of photographs we had of him and prompting our conversations of the memories we shared together made you understand the value of freezing moments in time through these tangible records, if not to appreciate now…at least, later on.

But I don’t want to fall down the sentimentality route here. Or if so, I would say that it is overshadowed by emotions that feels somewhat bigger, perhaps excitement, as we watched you make those first steps on your own to head off to your new school. It does not seem that long ago, when we were still discussing if you were capable to do it on your own or have well-meaning relatives passing concern at the dangers ahead. We are well aware of them, but trusted ourselves and the lessons you have learned that you are mature and independent enough to do (many) things by yourself. This past summer was a further example of that; it wouldn’t have been right for us to hold you back as much as we relish your childhood more than you can appreciate right now. I’ll savour it through photographing and photographs instead.

In the meantime, we watch you with pride and joy as you make your way through this new and next chapter of your life.

This is part of Artefact Motherhood - a collaboration of artists/mothers from around the world. Sharing stories of the joys and struggles of our journey. Our hopes and dreams for our children. With little nuggets of wisdom here and there. These are more than photographs with dates written on the back. These are the artefact we are leaving behind for children and the generations to come.

Go to the next artist and a wonderful photographer in our blog circle, Leila Balin.