First Day Of School

Son started preschool today.

He went 3 mornings a week last year, but this year is different. He is gone 5 mornings a week. At his school last year, I had to take him and drop him off at his class each morning, and wait outside his class in the hall for him to be done. It sometimes seemed more like a glorified play group than tyre preschool. This year, I can walk him to his class in the morning if I want to (otherwise we can use the carpool lane and just drop him at the curb where he will be "escorted" to his class by school staff) and then, if I'm not using the carpool lane to pick-up, I have to wait in the lobby for the class to be dismissed and the children to be brought out. I have to say... this all seems awfully grown-up to me.

Last year, Son cried every morning that I left him at school. About 2 minutes after I was out the door, he was over it and playing (I would wait outside the door or watch through the window where he wasn't able to see me). He had a good time every school day, but there was always a bit of dread when the time came to actually go to school. Lots of questions... "Who is going to pick me up? Do I have to stay for naps? Is my regular teacher going to be there? When are you going to come get me?" If I were an outsider listening to his questions, I would think that his mother routinely failed to fetch him from school so that he had to stay all day, take naps on rocks, was left with a new teacher each day and then had a total stranger arrive at the end of the day to take him home. Please note... not once did I forget to pick my child up from school. Only once was I late, and I called the school to let them know it was going to be 5 extra minutes. Son never had to take a nap, he had the same teacher in his class almost all year, and Husband and I were the only people to pick him up from school. Ever.

So, being the kind and thoughtful mother that I am, I figured I would launch a preemptive strike against his fears. Last night while Son was in the tub, I was telling him about how he was going to go to school, I would drop him off, pick him up, his teacher was named ___ and would be there all year (he met her at Open House on Friday), ect. His response was "I know. I know. I know. I know. I met her already and she's nice. Can I smell the shampoo when you wash my hair?" I guess we didn't need to have that conversation!

This morning, he was up and ready to go. He got himself dressed- shoes and all- before he even came out of his room (he did have to change before we left for school though... a ratty t-shirt and high water jeans are not the most appropriate school clothes), ate breakfast, brushed his teeth and was ready to head out the door about 45 minutes early. Once we got to school, there were no tears, no hesitations, no nervousness... just 5 kisses, 5 hugs, and confidence as he walked into the room and started his new school year. I was so proud!

Now the true test will be how things go once he realizes that he gets to do this every morning! As some people know... the next day isn't always as great as the first.