So the first day of school came and went for my third grader. It was long, he was exhausted, and a little ticked that they had to hear the rules AGAIN, and did not get to do math, but he was alright.
The first day for my Kindergartner, not so much. I knew it was going to be hairy when we tried to go to a dance class the night before and he wrapped himself around me like a rhesus monkey and refused to do anything. I sat on the floor through the entire class choking for air while he said, "I am not doing this!"
In my head, I was already formulating how to combat these issue the next morning. We got ready for bed, laid out his clothes, and I explained what would happen the next day, twice! I also explained there would be no time for fits, tantrums, or screaming. Then we said prayers, his brother talked about all the fun stuff you get to do in Kindergarten, and I read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn without crying. I was feeling pretty good.
Side note - I even remembered to prep his brother before he woke up that he might be nervous and throw a fit, or not get on the bus and all of that was OK. We needed to show him love and kindness and help him through it just like mommy did for him on the airplane when he was really really scared.
Then the moment of truth arrived and he ended up barely eating, throwing down with me about what clothes to wear, and screaming for twenty minutes that he was NOT GOING TO KINDERGARTEN!!! One step at a time. I finally got him dressed, but he wasn't getting on the bus. Then I got him outside but he wouldn't carry his backpack. We got to the bus stop, but he wasn't going to school. We got home and he had to do three things before we could leave. And he did exactly three things. He went and put glue in his back pack, he had to throw the whistle ball, and then he had to play PIG with dad.
So we got in the van and I start to drive to school not knowing whether I should talk about something else, talk about school, or just shut-up. I turned on the radio, asked if he was cool enough, and then waited for him to talk. We were not going anywhere fast as we live pretty close to school and were behind three buses. He spotted the buses and just knew his brother was on one and we should race it to school. SO we did!! At all of 18 miles and hour, I think, hot on it's tail.
Dad met us at school, so did the principal. (who I slipped inside to call when he wouldn't get on the bus asking for back-up at his classroom) He gave her a high five, walked down to his classroom and got in line with the teacher. I started to back away immediately not knowing what to expect. Would he lunge tackle me screaming, "Don't leave me! I'm not staying here!"
I'm pretty sure what saved us was the child that did have to be extracted from his mother and carried into the classroom by a teacher and the guidance counselor. So we wouldn't be the first - they had a system (and a very large woman) in place to handle child extractions. Excellent!
He looked so small, and scared, and I...I thought I was going to throw up. I have not felt so sick to my stomach since my first day of Kindergarten. When he was crying this morning, he said he would not go unless his "whole famiwee can come wif me." Oh buddy, I want nothing more than to go wif you. I wish I could sit in the corner and do Kindergarten all over again....but I can't.
I've cried so hard and so long, I did throw up. Then I cried so more. Gee, I hope next week gets better. Maybe there is a large woman that can carry me home?
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