It's one of the those days as a parent where you don't know whether to cry or beam with pride. Usually, you end up doing a little of both.

Our family marked a major milestone a short time ago. Our son, Jack, started Kindergarten. He's our oldest, so it was probably a bigger day for Barb and I then it was for him. Talk about mixed feelings. You're not a bad parent if you admit that you're looking forward to a little more free time now that the little guy will be at school full-time. But it also means a wonderful time of our lives is over, never to return. Okay, that's pretty sappy, but it's also true. Jack won't be there every day when I get home from work. He's got his own life now, so to speak, and it doesn't revolve quite as much around his parents anymore.

To be honest, Jack's first trek into kindergarten didn't go extremely well. He stood outside the school and declared he didn't want to go. But once he got inside, things apparently went pretty well. He told us he had fun on his first day and now he marches into school every morning with confidence, needing no help to find his room. His backpack may still be nearly as big as he is, but he's on his way.

Our daughter Kate is only 15 months old, so we've got several more years of having a little one around the house all the time. In fact, we probably can focus on her a little more now. I plan to savor every minute. If I thought the first day of kindergarten was bittersweet with Jack, I can only imagine what it will be like when we send off our youngest child. Thank goodness that's still four years away.