So, my baby starts Kindergarten on Wednesday, and while I’m not sad about losing my baby, (I’m a much better parent to big kids,) I’m finding myself becoming increasingly more anxious about school starting.
School. Ugh!
I thought I’d put it behind me, and now I have fourteen more years of this? (Remember, I have two kids — my math’s not that bad!)
I’m a regular ol’ cheerleader as far as T’s concerned.
“Honey, why don’t you tell the grocer, neighbor, postman what starts next week!” (Beaming with clenched smiled encouragement.)
His face lights up as he tells them all about Kindergarten, and that you only go once, and that it’s only for five-and-a-half-year-olds, and that Zip’s not old enough, because he’s only three—at which point Zip chimes in to say that he will be five some day, and that he plans to go then.
I know in my heart that he’ll do just fine, that he’s oh-so-ready for this, and that, hopefully, with steady encouragement and my best attempts at creating a stable childhood, he’ll not only succeed in school, but that he’ll actually like it.
However, it scares the living day lights out of me, because the last time I remember really liking school was sometime around the first day of second grade. It was all down hill from there.
Some years were better than others, but it was always a struggle, and then I only exacerbated the situation by taking ten years to put myself through college, which is another story.
For now, I am doing my best not to let my prejudice get in the way of this momentous occasion. It’s hard, but I think I’ve done a pretty good job of boosting his excitement without giving him unrealistic expectations.
I know that he’ll do as well as he can. I already know he’s bright, but I also know from experience that “bright” doesn’t always mean “scholarly.” With computers and the internet, kids have so many alternatives to an actual school room—if he doesn’t thrive in the classroom, I know we have lots of resources to pull from. I do, however, want him to reap the benefits of socializing with his peers, and I know lots of people who LOVE school.
We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
Yesterday, we had one last full day at Fairyland with his best friend and cohort, who also starts Kindergarten in just a few days. All of a sudden, Tizzy came bounding up to me, with stars in his eyes.
“I saw one! I saw one!!” He cried.
“One what?” I asked, confused.
He was so excited he couldn’t tell me, but I then saw what he meant: a little girl and boy dressed up as a fairy and an elf. In that instant, I was reminded that, while he is a big boy, magic is still very much alive for him.
I’m hoping it will be for quite some time.
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22 comments:
he will have magic in his heart for a long, long time.
:-)
Oh honey I know that feeling! It's hard not to feel deep down that you're feeding them to the lions but he is going to love school and you'll continue to be his biggest cheerleader... And boy it's kind of nice to miss them a little during the day if you know what I mean. :)
I did not like school. But Sugarplum loves it and, because my memory is not always so good, I think I've convinced myself that school's not so bad.
Yay! Kindergarten!
Wonderboy starts First grade on the 1st. I can't believe we are already through Kindergarten. He's saying he doesn't want to go back, even though I know he did love it. It's more that he doesn't want summer to end.
I have to bite my tongue when all I'm thinking is, "You can't not like school yet! It's still more fun then work! Wait until high school!"
Oh, is this why I have a huge stone resting on my chest?
I'm so worried for my kids - my daughter has a NUN for a teacher this year and i just found out her best friend might be going to public school...
I so wish we had a Fairyland around here! Kindergarten. I remember when Benjamin was born I dreaded Fall 2010 (when he is old enough to start kindergarten). Then, I decided to homeschool him...but honestly, I still don't look forward to ever having to "formally" school him--like, meeting requirements & laws.
Enjoy every minute with Z & T! Even when they are each 15 I bet you'll still see a glimmer of little boy in there somewhere. :)
Kindergarten is really the best of school... especially if they are ready and he sounds OH, SO READY.
He'll do great and you'll have lovely special times with Zip.
ya know, if it just plain sucks, i'll help bring you over to the dark side. :) hugs
I look at all the stuff that my kids do at school: Bookweek Parades, Scienceweek competitions, eggs hatching in the classroom etc and I think that school these days is a pretty great place to be and MUCH better than when we were young!
Hey, who knows. He'll probably love it. Kindergarden. What's not to love?
Good luck.
Ellie
I so understand this. Hayden starts kindergarten in a couple weeks. I am ready for him to go but I am not. I am nervous about how it will change him and about how much more of the real world he will see.
Your boy sounds like a dream, and with a heart so big and fanciful that I hope, too, that he'll always love the discovery.
I remember feeling the way you have described last year when my oldest was getting ready to enter middle school. I remember it seeming like the first slope in a downward spiral of my hatred for school, and I did everything I could to put on the happy face for my son when the topic of middle schol came up. He had a good year, but it still feels like I have to choke back the 'blech' remarks I want to make by accident. I even woke up on the first day of school this year with a stomach ache!
Enjoy these last couple days with him as a pre-kindergartner! I bet he'll have all kinds of adventures to share when he gets home that day!
I loved school. Pretty much my whole k-12 education. I even enjoyed college, although I took the slow bumpy road, too.
He'll find the magic. I'm sure of it.
I hope the transition to Kindergarten goes well for you all! I'll be thinking about you on Wed.
I love the fairy sighting story! We've never been to Fairyland and now I really want to go! I love that kind of thing.
I love what Vodka Mom said! I so hope they do!
Kindergarten wasn't too bad for my child. She had started pre-school the year before at the same Montessori school, so she knew the building, etc.
Now she is in fifth grade and still at the same Montessori school. But, since it only goes to 6th grade, I am starting to worry about junior high for her. Her entire class is only 20 children and that is grades 3-6, since Montessori is famous for having them all learn from each other in the same place. How can I throw her into a big public school class of 35 children after this?
My oldest was NOT happy about having to go to kindergarten. He's not too big about going back into grade 1, but that's because he has to stay there longer.
Vodka Mom has spoken what I was feelin' :)
And that damned photo???!! Priceless :))))
Oh my, another benchmark. He'll love school. And so will you.
Without these experiences that will test him, he won't grow strong and self assured.
Yay for the first day of school! He's going to love it and having half the number of kids during the day will be an added bonus.
We just moved from Danville two years ago! I bet we were almost neighbors!!
The beginning of K is such a big time. Enjoy it :)
i know what you mean... kindergarten was actually the last year I liked school! It went downhill from there! I've always thought that I would hoomeschool my kids after kindergarten, just to be able to teach them in a more positive way and spare them from the horrors of school. But I think schools are getting better now. Teachers are trained to work harder to keep kids' attention and to teach children who have different learning styles and different needs. I hope it will go great for Tizzy!
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