Jack's First Day at Preschool

Jim and decided several months ago that we would enroll Jack at Kindercare two days a week once he turned two (the price goes down after age 2). Today was his first day.

It was harder for me than him, I think. I've been taking him there almost every time we dropped off Lily so he could get familiar with the room and the teachers. He immediately took off his coat and began to play with all of the toys. I should have left while he was having fun, but I stayed for a while, and he started asking "When we go ridey?"

I told him only mama was going ridey and he freaked out. He tried to get out of the room, and he was crying "No mama, I go ridey. No, mama, no!" The teacher picked him up and he calmed down as I was leaving.

When I picked him up this evening, he was so happy to see us. They told me he had a terrific day and only cried once in the evening when other parents started picking up their kids. He started to cry while I was talking to the teacher because he wanted to go home! On the way home, he told me that he played with "friends" and went outside. He also mentioned that they wiped his "boogies." According to his sheet, he took a two hour nap and ate very well. He sure looked tired tonight.

Lily seemed to have the best day of her school career. Ever since I began to stay at home, Lily has been resistant to going to school in the morning. She told me that "you and Jack do all the fun stuff while I'm gone." She told me that she has to "freak out" when I leave her because she loves me, but reassured me that she stops as soon as I'm gone.

We told her last night that Jack would be starting school today. She was very excited. This morning, when I asked her to get dressed for school, she said "Sure!" and ran to get her clothes. She was chatting and laughing for the entire drive to school and ran right into her class with no "freak out." At pick up time, she threw a mini-fit when I told her we had to leave, but then perked right up when I said we had to pick up Jack. On the way home in the car, she smugly told him "You'll be going to school with me every time now, Jack!"

Schadenfreude: the German word for taking delight in other people's misfortunes (or, in this case, perceived misfortunes).