superflatmonkey

First Day of Kindergarten

So today was your first day of kindergarten and you woke up excited. 

You walked down the hall without a stitch of clothing carrying both King Frog and Wario yelling for me to get up. When I opened the door you looked at me with a big smile and said, "I'm going to need to have lots of fruit for breakfast so that I can have energy to play and play and play."

We went downstairs and I cut you up some apples and a banana and poured you a glass of milk. 

Your mommy quickly came down, she had gotten up early to shower, and we talked to you about how you were feeling. All excitement, no fear. I was afraid, then, that you would be disappointed that there wasn't going to be as much playtime as there was at your preschool so I tried to gently point out that it was school and, though very fun, there was learning to be done. 

"Oh daddy, don't be so silly," you said with eyes that shone with anticipation. I gave you a hug. 

We drove up to Llewelyn because we had all the supplies. First we went into the cafeteria to buy your lunches and then we went to put all you supplies in the bins (community supplies). Still thrilled.

Then we went out on the playground to wait for the bell. There you went bravely off to play but there was trepidation in you looks. 

The bell rung and you came up to me and we walked in together and when we hugged goodbye I could feel your heart beating so hard and fast that I didn't want to let go of you, my dear sweet boy. But you went and sat down and we went outside and spied on you through the windows (with half or more of the other parents). 

Sarah and I didn't know what to do with ourselves so we went on a run, a run which just happened to go up by your school.

Then we went to the market and bought the stuff to make you your favorite dinner, oh, and a cake.

When we picked you up you looked sad, disappointed and tired. True, it had not been as much fun as you thought it would be.

You didn't really like group time or the amount of time you had to spend in it and you had an uncomfortable period in which you felt lost outside.

I ask, "Did you miss us?"

And you said, "I really, really did. Especially when I was lost outside. I just wanted my mommy and daddy so much."

Shit, right? That goes right to your heart. 

Anyway, it turns out that they ushered you out to the playground when you were done eating but your teacher wasn't there and you didn't recognize any of the kids. I'll talk to your teacher tomorrow to change that until you are more comfortable.  

But when we got home you and I played and played right up until bedtime. That was nice.

It's School Time

Well my oldest son heads off to kindergarten in just under a month and I am finding it increasingly difficult to accept this fact. Seriously, it seems like he was just born. As most of my friends work they just don't seem to get how hard this is.

Of course, he has been going to preschool several days a week for years and he loves it. He is excited to go to school, and I'm sure Llewelyn is as fantastic as they all say, but he'll be away from me on so many levels and I'll never get to do this—these last 5 years—over again.

So, in order to deal with this, and I'm clearly not, I am obsessing about schools. Should we have looked more at private schools? Charter schools? Cooperative educational endeavors? What about the French School? But I know I'm not fooling anyone, I'm just not ready.

But he is.

There's another Llewelyn kindergarten play date in a couple of weeks. I know that these are as much to ease the parents into this new role as to aid the kids, and I appreciate it.

Are you getting ready to send your child to school or do you have an interesting story? Let's hear it.