I took the day off so that I could accompany R and T to their classes on the first day of school. T kept making sure that I really wasn't going to work.
T: Mom, you're taking me to kindergarten, right?
Me: Right, T. I'll hold your hand and walk you into the classroom.
T: Right. Good.
Two hours later....
T: Mommy, you're not going to work, right? Because, you know, today is the first day of kindegarten and you told me you'd take me in.
Me: You got it, T. I'll be right there with you.
So, it came time and we loaded up in the car (me, M, and T), drove to the school, parked the car, and walked hand-in-hand-in-hand into the school. We waited outside the classroom with other slightly nervous kids and their parents (some of the parents were slightly nervous too, I could tell.) We parents introduced ourselves to each other and tried to introduce the kids to each other..."Oh, hi Jimmy, it's nice to meet you. This is T, he's in your class too." T looked down at the ground; Jimmy looked down at the ground; the other mothers and I just smiled and shrugged (what are you going to do?)
When it came time to charge, I mean walk into the room, it was a bit chaotic. There were moms, dads, kids, backpacks, newly purchased school supplies, and papers to turn in everywhere. It was a bit chaotic. All the moms and dads were carrying their kids' backpacks and the teacher was announcing that the Children Should Carry Their Own Back packs. It's Their Responsibility Now Moms!
Whew!
After the backpacks were hung up and the papers handed in and the school supplies put away, the kids were told to get a book and sit on the carpet and look at the book. M and I took that as a cue for the parents to leave. We gave little T a kiss and told him that we'd meet his bus after school. He had a bit of the deer-in-the-headlight look on him, but I knew he'd be fine.
He had a smile on his face after school and even sang us a song about an acorn, along with this question:
T: Mom, do you know what the part of the acorn that a squirrel eats is called?
Me: No, what is it called?
T: The "squirrel meat!" Isn't that crazy? I learned that in kindergarten!
Yes, that's crazy...and I love kindergarten.
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2 comments:
I love that you were able to take the day off from your busy job . . . I'm sure —no, I KNOW that T, especially, love-love-loved that you were there with him. So, were you at all like your own mom . . . any tears rolling down the cheek as you walked out of the room? It seems to me, if my memory serves me correctly . . . and we all know that it doesn't much these days . . . but I KNOW that tears would well up in my eyes as I walked out to the car on the first day of school until you were probably in fourth grade! It's "I'm so proud" kind of tears . . . watching the kids growing up and becoming independent. Yaaaaay, T!
How wonderful that you were able to take the time off. It is so fun to watch the range of emotions on each of the kids faces as they are getting ready to walk in. I love the looks of the classrooms on the first day too. I'm sure T's classroom was just as welcoming.
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