Monday, July 27, 2009

The first day of Kindergarten




This morning Boo woke up and announced that she was going to quit Kindergarten. (We weren't exactly off to a good start, eh?) Hubby and I explained that going to school is her job now, she's a big girl, and Kindergarten is fun.

She was sullen over breakfast. She posed for pictures in the front yard before telling us that her backpack was choking her. She got in the car. We navigated the hellish first day of school traffic. Unfortunately, Hubby had to stay in the car while Boo and I jumped out to find her line. The sea of children was endless. Boo looked so small and so scared. We finally found her line and followed her teacher toward the building. She looked like a lamb being led to slaughter instead of a bright-eyed Kindergartner about to start a new adventure.

We were fine until it came time to say goodbye at the entrance to her building. No mommies allowed in the building, they told us at Orientation last Friday. That's when the tears started. Then came the sobbing, followed by the screaming and pleading. "Come with me, Mommy!" "Don't make me GOOOOOOOO, Mommy!" "I quit, Mommy. I quit!" Then came the leg lasso. I untangled my baby, I kissed her tearful face & told her, "I love you", and endured the screaming RIGHT IN MY EAR!

I walked away and didn't look back even though I could hear Boo screaming for me. Then came my tears. Why did MY KID - the sweet child who loved daycare and pre-K - have to be the ONE throwing the tantrum? Why didn't she want to go make new friends and have a great time? Why was she so scared? Hubby was waiting in the car with a tissue and a hug. I would have preferred a shot of tequila.

Anyway, I'm sure she's fine now. She probably dried it up as soon as I was out of sight. Still, I'm sad for her. I wanted her to feel excited and proud of herself. But I guess that's why she threw the fit in the first place, right? This kid knows how to push my buttons.

I don't remember much about starting Kindergarten myself. There are pictures of me and my sister in our driveway in California. We both had dorky haircuts. I look a little nervous in one of those photos, but I had a big sister to show me the ropes. What I do remember - what I do know for a fact - is that my Kindergarten teacher thought that I was special and she took great care of me (and my sister before me). She took an active interest in my little life, nurtured me, and gave me a fantastic foundation for learning the rest of my life. I know she loved me because she still has an active interest in my little life. We exchange Christmas cards, she reads my rambling blog, she talks to my parents on occasion, and I bet if she were still teaching, she'd love to have my daughter in her Kindergarten class. (Thank you, Miss Ivey!)

Now about that drink...

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