Kindergarten begins next week....

[Dov]

And Dad is stressin'! Mama is way bummed (as is dd) that she can't go with her the first day. Since that's my duty, I'm the one having kindergarten trauma.... I think I blocked out most of my memories from that time in my life, and can only recall that it was pure unadulterated hell for me. No one other than the teacher spoke to me for over a month and I remember this kid, Burton, biting my hand for some inexplicable reason.

I'm so worried for her and know in my brain that it's totally not rational but I can't seem to shake the nervous anxiety feelings.... she's so much like me socially (not a good thing in an extraverts' world). It's a great school and the class size is small (11 kids) and she's getting opportunities neither I nor her mama ever had at this age, so I know she's in great hands and will have great opps to try amazing things and be part of something really cool. But why am I so d*mned nervous?!

We need to do the backpack and lunch box thing and all that.... and haven't mentioned it to her until we figure out what the parental boundaries are supposed to be, but there's only a week left to go... AUGH! I have to do all the lunch making and driving around things... I did them before just without the deadline pressure or the leaving the kids behind somewhere other than home factors.... *oy*

[familyman]

the bigger heartbreak for me was when he prefered going to school as opposed to staying home with me. my two that have gone before went to montessorri and were highly syimulated. my 1st when he started the magnet school was taking the bus, now this year my dd is headed to k-garden in the same school. i know it will only be a short time b4 my 19 mo will be chomping at the bit for more activity.
as fun as it is watching them grow don't you wish sometimes that there was a pill that would keep them little just a bit longer?

[Dov]

Things went well this week. The tears and pleading not to have to go during the drive to school ended yesterday... she mentioned it once and then today was relaxed enough to nap on the way over.

I went through hell.... couldn't concentrate on my classes, even left one to go take a walk to calm myself down. I realized halfway through the week that this is really the first time both my kids have been away from us consistently and we've been both away from them at the same time in five years. That was a serious adjustment!

They had "tot Shabbat" at the school this morning and I was stunned to find our dd participating and laughing with her classmates. Her teachers say she's a good student and likes to get along and try things (which is like pulling teeth for us sometimes). Last night I heard her trying to teach her brother some new songs she learned in Hebrew class! I'd been trying to get her to tell me how that class was all week!

I feel so relieved. We did the right thing afterall.

She's pretty tired at the end of the day but an interesting after-effect is occuring now... both kids go to bed without complaint and without the tears and resistance they used to experience. They're much more confident and tolerant of each other—well, more than before, they're still contentious sublings at times.

Phew.

[familyman]

children are like butterflies, if you love them enough to open your hands and let them fly, they will love you enugh to flutter their beautifull wings and soar through the sky.
congrats man, i'm glad you finally stopped crying when you drop her off, uh i mean she stopped crying(wink,wink).

[papabliss]

Boy, you guys make me feel lucky. My dd goes to preschool in the same building where I work, in fact only 30 feet from my office. Plus we only live three blocks from the building so we can easily walk back and forth.

There is a large play area along the building where the kids play during recess and at the end of the day. I was in a meeting (one of those long boring ones) and I sat so I could see out the picture window. I don't remember what all went on in the meeting, but I got to watch my dd play for at least half an hour. She was so cute climbing in the play strutures carrying her umbrella :thumb

Cheers

pb