Kindergarten Screening yesterday. For this little guy.
The one who loves trains, and wanted to know how he would remember he loved them when he grows up. Just say this isn’t so. Say you’ll spend all next year, curled up on the floor in PJs playing with trains. Say that it will take us 3 hours to eat breakfast because we have to argue over what kind of cereal it will be. And once it’s poured, and there is milk on top, you won’t eat it, and I’ll get all tissied up over that. Tell me you’ll say, “Is it tomorrow today,” when I tell you you have preschool this morning. Tell me that you will insist that after I’m through packing your big brother’s lunches that I pack your lunch for you — in a brown bag — even though you’re eating it at home. Tell me I have to wonder how I’m going to get my shower because you sneak into your brother’s rooms when I’m not looking and take their stuff. I don’t think I can bear it. Going on three times now, I have sent someone off the kindergarten. You’d think I’d be better at it by now.
I think I was the only kindergarten Mom there who couldn’t read the registration form — because she needed bifocals. His response to the whole thing, “They kept saying “good,” and they were nice.” And why do they call it “screening?” Oh, yes, and he was “glowing.”
Today, it’s the last day of preschool today for both little guys. Geesh — can it get any more emotional? I cherish their teachers. My 2nd grader’s class is also hosting a baby shower for their teacher. So cookies were in order. So, we made snickerdoodles. Their favorites. Why, you ask, didn’t I just go buy them? Because, who wants to go to the store with 4 boys?
So we made them — they helped. . We were all set to roll the balls into the cinnamon and sugar — but I couldn’t find the “reserved cup of sugar.” Then I realized, they had poured it into the mix. So, dear teachers, these cookies are a little flat, and very sweet. But we love you.
And P.S. I’m so glad Kindergarten is only a half-day.
So now I know it happens everytime, with each kid. Just the same.
Must be more emotional now that this is going to be the last.
It’s hard watching them grow up, Sweet Friend, but kids are like kites. If you want them to soar, you have to give ’em a little bit of string.
Wouldn’t something be wrong with us if we DIDN’T cry and didn’t want this day to come? Please say yes….it would help my sanity….
HI Jamie!
Awww… I feel for you. I had a hard time when each of my four kids started Kindergarten and we didn’t even do the whole pre-school thing. They were home with me until Kindergarten. Nothing was harder than the last one, though. My son was so excited to start school because his 3 older sisters really liked it and when I walked him to school his first day, he waved, went it and I cried my eyes out the entire walk home. I walked into my empty house and did not even know what to do with myself.
Its a huge adjustment. Within a few days I found myself a part time job. I blinked and now my kids are teenagers. They come bursting through the door after school with “Mom can you drive me here?”, “Mom, I need $40 for this”, “Mom, I swear I’m the only 13 year old without a Coach purse!”, “Mom, I want to go to Prom with this kid with a ring through his nose and lip and stay out until 3 AM. Oh, and can you rent me a limo?”……..
I think back on those days and laugh at myself because now my first thought is…”Oh, boy, they are home from school ALREADY?” LOL
This, too shall pass……
Keep smiling!
Jessica The Rock Chick
I can’t imagine how I’ll cope when Julia goes off to Kindergarten. She’s my one and only. Heck, when she went to her first Jump Start class that I wasn’t allowed in, I laid on the floor and peeked under the door just to watch her shoes. Growing up can be so hard for parents.
I feel for you – it’s not easy is it? I only have two children and each time it was hard. Then it was when my son entered high school, and this year he is graduating in just a few weeks(this is very hard to deal with) and in the Fall my youngest starts high school. It’s an emotional roller coaster for me at the moment.
Jessica and Shelly, Thank you so much for your perspective! As for the rest of us — I guess a little humor is in order. But Louann — one more yet to go! One left at home.
Enjoyed your blog very much. I’ve reviewed it here: http://cremdelablog.blogspot.com/2007/05/susiej.html.
Susie-
There is no cookie that is as sweet as the face of the little boy who delightedly handed me that bag this morning. It is hard for us to send our small friends to kindergarten, too!
kim
Kim, I told him what you said. His face filled with a smile. Thanks. He was proud.
I must second what Kim said. As the teacher of your 3-year-old…well, you saw how hard it was for me to say “goodbye” to him – and you – yesterday. Even though I know I’ll still be seeing you, I won’t be his teacher anymore, and oh, how I adore him!! I will always remember how he would “dress up” for school – whether as Superman, Batman, Woody, or a dinosaur.
What a gift it was to be his first “school teacher.” He brought so much joy and energy to our classroom, and to me. Thanks again for sharing your wonderful boys with us.
And – the cookies were extra Yummy!!!!!
Boy, this one crept up on me. You so beautifully expresssed this rite of passage. The degree to which we celebrate and mourn as parents just makes me tremble. Here’s to the occasional, “Why don’t you go ahead and stay home today…just in case.”
I’m facing this for the first time in September and his reception class (unless he gets bumped on again). Everytime we walk past the place, he says “That’s my school”, proudly. Right now, we’re counting the days, to be honest. But supermum will probably feel a lot differently on the actual day (I work five days a week so it’ll just give him even more interesting stuff to chat to me about at days end.)
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