Kindergarten

I looked forward to my son going to kindergarten.  Hey, its nearly all day, low fuss, no muss, much easier than whats been.  He's been going to daycare since 6 weeks old.  At 3 he started staying home with his dad who was working nights but he was going to nursery school part day a few days a week (couldn't take this social kid totally out of socializing).  Then last year he did 2.5 hour pre-k each weekday.  I really couldn't imagine being one of those weepy kindergarten mom's.  I felt bad for them, but couldn't really understand what all the crazy preparation, mental and backpackish, was all about.

Well.

D started kindergarten Tuesday.  Today, 2 days later, is the first I think I can post about it.  Maybe.  Ok, still getting teary and sniffly.

It took me sitting at work all day Tuesday feeling sick and weepy, most of the evening prying at his thoughts with a barrage of questions and all of bedtime staring at him to realize what it was.

This is the first thing that is totally HIS.




He gets himself up and ready to go (mommy is too sick in the a.m. to be supermom) and is usually waiting at the door for me to walk him to school.  Today I was so non-functional he had "gorilla bars" (granola bars) in each pocket to eat on our 15 min walk.  He remembers to put his lunch (packed the night before by himself) in his messenger bag, remembers to take his communication folder, remembers his "canteen".  Yesterday when he forgot his lunch box at school and his dad said "we'll get it tomorrow" he staged a sit in on the sidewalk until dad agreed to let him go back and get it because "Mommy said I'm responsible for not losing my reusable containers!".

We don't get to go in the school at drop off or pick up like pre-k.  No chatting with the teacher.  No judging the days events by the moods of the crowd of kids in the room.  No details on his day from the teacher (just a green, yellow or red square on his behavior calendar - 1 green, 1 yellow so far lol).  No being able to tell if he was comfortable, hot or cold, tired or alert, etc.  Happy or sad, surrounded by friends or lonely.

Phew, back after a sniffly break.

Gah.  Maybe its too soon to post.  Should have stopped at 3 kleenex lol.

Anyway, its all his.  He's absolutely LOVING it.  He calls to let me know daddy got him ok at pick up ask what he may have for a snack and then hangs up on me when I try and ask a question.

Last night I learned my lesson.  Didn't ask a darn thing just said "Hope you had a great day at school...." and told him some of the highlights of my day.  Then at bedtime he decided he wanted to talk about his day. 

New lesson for tonight - he'll be really chatty when he thinks he gets to stay up later, go to bed earlier.

I'm learning.  I might learn faster if I could get over the little grieving spell though :(

Lol :)