Well, we survived it! The first week of Kindergarten, complete with the first day of school, first day at Ycare, first day riding the bus to and from school, first school lunch......you get the idea. All those things rolled into one week must be really overwhelming for a 5 year old.....or at least it seems to me like they would be. But he seems to be taking it in stride. Here are a few highlights (mostly so I have record of how the week went later, when we want to look back on it):
Day 1 - I took the day off from work, so we could take him to his classroom the first day. It was kind of chaos, but that might have been a good thing for both of us, in retrospect. Jim and Cari were there too, and because I had Cari to focus on, and Jim to drag me away, I did ok with the whole thing. JJ started to get a little teary, I reminded him it was ok to be nervous, but that we don't want to let it get in the way of having a fun time. Thank goodness for an adult helper in the room who helped him find is spot at the table, and all that stuff....because I was able to leave without too much 'fanfare'. Fast forward to 4:15 and we are out waiting for the bus, which of course is late because it is the first day, with lots of kids that don't really know what to do and where to go. He gets off the bus, and is in tears before he even gets across the street. He was crying because the bus driver had said something about kids not having bus passes couldnt' ride the bus. Even though he had his, and it was very visible, he thought she was talking to him directly, not everyone, and was worried. He told us he made sure to show her the pass on the way off the bus. He also thought she was 'crabby' because she was yelling a lot (this is not just a Kindergarten bus, so older kids are in the back, she had to yell so they would her her).
Day 2 - first time to ride the bus to school in the morning and go to Y Care. He had no problems getting on the bus and the driver was different from the afternoon one and seemed nice. Made sure he sat in the front, like they are supposed to, asked another child on the bus to help him, etc. When I got home from work that night, I heard only about how much he loved Ycare and how much fun he had that day at school. It wasn't until later, from Jim that I heard anything about how he didnt' know where to go when he got off the bus, and was crying, and someone heard him and helped him get to his room. I feel bad for not making sure he know where to go....but we showed him the room before, and how to get there. In the chaos of all the was new, I am sure he forgot. Thankfully the next day, there was someone there who asked him to 'help her find her way to the Y care room, and he did it and was so proud! What an awesome way to make sure he knew where to go, and help him out all at the same time. Phew!
Day 3 - I left before he got on the bus, made sure everything was laid out and Grandma got him on the bus. I heard all about how excited he was for the day, because he was going to do projects in Y Care, and that he was going to have music time in Kinder that day. They had an assembly at school this day, and when JJ heard they were going to 'listen to the principal' he started to cry. His teacher let him sit by her. He has been so concerned all summer about being sent to the principals office. I don't know why or where it comes from, although I suspect it might have something to do with one of his older cousins talking about it this summer. He was fine once he knew what an 'assembly' was.
Day 4 - In much the same fashion, I left before he did. He was a little teary this morning, not sure if it was just the long week or what. He did say he was worried the afternoon bus driver might be crabby again. I think that once he has the routine down and all that, it will be all good.
I am so proud of my little guy for facing all of this in a mostly positive way! He is growing up so fast, and I couldn't be prouder!
;o)
