Who else's oldest is starting kindergarten (after no preschool)?

[shanleysmama]

After 5 years of DD being by my side for 24/7, she starts kindergarten on August 9. I have to drop her off at 8:45 and pick her up at 2:45, 5 days a week.

Now we have to start a schedule of getting up at a certain time, getting ready for school, spending all day apart. Her early childhood is almost over, and another phase begins. While I am excited for her, it will be weird to only see her at night and on weekends! I am not used to this. I am used to 2 kids (DS is 3) all day, all the time. I feel like "time is running out for us". A few more weeks doing our own thing . . . then I'm handing her over to strangers.

Anyone else going thru this?

Melanie

[littleaugustbaby]

Awww, mama, I feel for you. My DD is nowhere near ready to start school, but even so, sometimes I think about how fast the time goes and I realize that before long, I'll be in your position. It must be so tough.

[Colorful~Mama]

we're discussing this now. Dd turns 4 next month and i'm trying to decide if i might want her in preschool a few hours a week just to help get her ready. A local church offers $6/hour drop ins so i could do two days a week for just 2-3 hours so she gets kinda ready/used to it. i don't know

i'm nervous about kindergarten since we will be doing public school too. I remember with dd#1 how excited she was and how i cried the first few days dropping her off. And she did preschool and before that daycare - it was still really hard to start kindergarten

hugs to you!!

[hipmamawnc]

I know how you feel. My oldest will be in first grade this year and that seems impossible to me. I was very concerned last year with her starting Kindergarten, she was also home with me all the time. No preschool and only ever babysat by my mom or best friend. I was worried about her being too shy, of her missing me and her little brother, of me missing her, ect.
I took my sweet little 5 yo dd to her first day of school with butterflies in my stomach. School began at 8:30, but we were told we could stay as long as our kids needed us. I sat down in the corner of the room with 3 yo ds, snacks packed in my bag in case we were there for a long time. The teacher (who I love) talked to the kids and then began teaching them their classroom song. As I sat watching my dd looked over at me rolled her eyes and said "you can go now mom" while waving me out of the room. I was shocked. Not only was she not scared or shy, she was annoyed with me for staying around and treating her like a baby (her words). So I went home, cried a little, and got used to it being just ds and me during the school day. The year flew by, helped in part by my pregnancy, and she loved it. We are lucky she has such a great school, it's an art based charter school which means we always pack lunch and there are no buses, but that is fine. It gives me control over what she eats and we spend the morning and afternoon drives to and from school talking. Should be interesting this year lugging a 4 yo ds and our new 2 month old ds .
I wish you luck on your new journey

Robyn to dh Eric
:bf nonvaxing, no circ, cosleeping SAH mama to Raven 6, Dakota 4, and Zebulon 8 weeks

[equinox]

All the best to you both as you embark on this new phase. My oldest is four and has been at home this whole time-she may or may not start kindergarten at 5.5, and I know how hard it will be to watch her walk away from me if she does go.

[MPJJJ]

My oldest is going to kindergarden too, starting Sep 7th. : He did go to a couple months of preschool, which he loved. I'm sad, and feeling like I'm losing my baby.

[mountaincaats]

Mine Too!

i THINK MY HUSBAND IS MORE SAD THAN i AM. I am excited for my son who will turn 5 in August. But I am sad too. My husband has to figure out when he will see him. He is a chef and has Thur. and Fri. off right now. He has to work on getting those weekend off or start a new profession.
Taylor , who is starting, has been at home with me and his brother(2). He is babysat on occasion by my MIL, cousin and husband, or the rare occasion-a friend. He is growing. He is so cute. He says,"I know I might be shy at first but I will get use to it. And there might be others who are shy too and I can help them." I feel good about his school and he is excited about learning so much. That is GOOD!
I understand your ache. My husband and I feel it too. I will probably cry. I am sure I will not be the only one though. He starts Aug. 9 as well.
Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--mountaincaats--

[LDSmomma6]

I have 4 in school this year!! Having 2 at home will be great! I am so excited for Aug. 19th!!

[shanleysmama]

I know it will be harder on me than on her. I know she will have fun, and I will get lots of one-on-one time with DS for the next 2 years, and it *will* be easier to run errands with only one kid.
But - I feel so bad - I had the same guilt when I got PG with DS. Just when DD and I were having a good time doing everything together, I get PG with DS when DD is 11 months. So we didn't even have 2 years together before she got a sibling to cut into her mommy time. I cried for months when I found out I was pregnant, feeling like I was cheating her, the "how could I do this to my baby!" thoughts.
So from age 20 months to 5 she has to share me. Then boom - I ship her off to school, and DS gets his two years of mommy time from ages 3 to 5 - when he can really enjoy it more than DD who got her mommy time from 0 to 2. Does this make sense?
I really get myself worked up over this, LOL. I even made DD little "coupons" last month for "mom and me time", "movie time", "good for one meal out with mom" and stuff like that. She is just getting into "let's do girly stuff, mom" and I'm starting to think "a few more weeks and then the teachers will see her more than I do".
Oh, the guilt and second guessing of being a parent.

[equinox]

Oh, you bring back memories! I also cried and felt like I was betraying #1 when I got pregnant with #2. I love your idea about the coupons. I say just keep validating all of your feelings.

[EMZ]

Just wanted to say good luck to you. I think it will be harder on you than her. Let us know how it goes (I'm dreading that day myself)

[witch's mom]

My youngest DD starts kindergarten in one month. I'm afraid I'm going to feel like an empty nester, with three hours a day to myself. Honestly, that trip to Trader Joe's myself doesn't even sound that great. I don't think the samples will be quite so thrilling without a 4-year-old to get all whipped up about what they're handing out today.

When big DD started kindergarten, I was sad, but I remember comforting myself with the thought that at least I still had little DD at home. This might be the reason why some women have a third (or fourth, or fifth . . .) child as their youngest approaches 5. Good thing DH is fixed!

Anyway, good luck to you all. There's a time for everything, huh?

[shanleysmama]

Just an update, tomorrow is *THE* day! We have her backpack ready, have lunch in the fridge, big bag of school supplies bagged and ready, clothes laid out, alarm clock set, went to open house Thursday night and met the teacher.
I practically had to force DH to come with me tomorrow, then he's off to work while I head to the cafeteria for "Tissues and Tea", sniff sniff. My babyyyyyyyy . . . . WAH!

[maya44]

Originally Posted by shanleysmama

AWhile I am excited for her, it will be weird to only see her at night and on weekends! I am not used to this.

Um 2:45 is not exactly night ! LOL! Don't worry, you'll be suprised at how fast the time goes!

Check out if there are any opportunities to visit her at school. At our school, we can drop by for lunch twice a week to help set up a special lunch (with sibs!!!).

And think of this as an opportunity to give your DS his chance to be the "only child" That's a pretty special thing too!

[EMZ]

sooooooo how is it going?

[ja mama]

How did her first day turn out?