Today was the first day of school in my town. A started second grade and L started kindergarten. It
is funny, three years ago I was thinking about what freedom would taste like when L went into kindergarten because he was so needy... then I went and had H, who is even needier, so freedom is still several years away!
Lots of moms cry on the first day... I'm gonna guess it is because their "baby is growing up." I guess I didn't inherit a gene that makes you feel that way. I am looking forward to the day my kids graduate college and get a nice house so I can move in an mooch off of them until my dying day. I can't wait until their 16th birthdays when they will get home from school and a stack of shiny job applications will be waiting on the table for them to fill out.
Back to the school thing... when A started kindergarten, I was confident that she would be fine. She's already very independent and smart, so I knew she would do well even though it might be scary. This year she complained all summer long about how much she hated school for this reason or that, but secretly I knew that she was excited to go back. Yesterday at open house she got to see her class room and meet her teacher and she found out her BFF was in her class, so the giddiness was hard to contain. And to my utter amazement, this morning she came out dressed and ready before I even had a chance to go wake her up!
Then there is L. He did not attempt to say he wasn't excited- he let it be known. My worry for him was that he is less independent and loud, so he is shy when it comes to asking for help from strangers or meeting new kids. Luckily his teacher seemed very nice and enthusiastic, so I think that will make things less stressful.
So today I walked them into school for breakfast to pay their milk tickets and make sure L knew what to do. Luckily A was being nice and helpful and telling him everything he needed to know about where to line up, get his card, let him know just because they give you something doesn't mean you have to eat it... then they sat together and ate breakfast and L even threw away both their plates. But before I had a chance to say goodbye and have a nice day, they left for the playground and didn't look back. I was a little surprised, but that was a good sign.
And now it is just H and I. Fortunately (and a blessed miracle) he is napping, so I am getting to enjoy a small window of peace and quiet...
Hooray for school!