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).

Lily Checked Out Her New School

Well, possibly her new school, anyway. As some of you already know, we have to register Lily for kindergarten in a couple of weeks. In our town, there are 10 kindergarten classes at five different schools. Because they try to keep all of the classes the same size, you have to enter a lottery to determine where your child will go. Apparently, 95% of the kids get into their first choice school, so we are hoping Lily will get into the school closest to our house, which is supposedly the best primary school in the district.

Anyway, in preparation for the upcoming registration period, all of the primary schools are holding tours. I thought it would be a great idea to take Lily along on the tour so she could see what her new school would be like. We've been talking it up to her for a couple of weeks, and she seemed excited. When I first told her, she asked "Will you be coming there with me?" and when I told her I would be there, she said she wanted to go by herself.

The night before the tour, her tune had changed. She started telling us she didn't want to go. We tried to explain to her that it was just a tour and she wouldn't be staying there, but she was adamant. The morning of the tour, she had a meltdown and refused to get dressed to go to the tour. It took both Jim and me an hour to get her calmed down and out of the house. Since Jim had to go to work (or so he claimed!) I was dreading what would happen when we got to the school.

Sure enough, once I parked, Lily clung to her carseat with a grip of steel and screamed "Nooooo! I'm staying in the car! I hate this stinky school!" Jack just sat there and enjoyed the scene. I had to promise I would not make her talk to anyone and I would not let go of her hand.

When we got inside, the school principal came over and introduced herself. She asked if Lily was the one who might come to the school. In accordance with my promise, I answered yes and said that Lily was already familiar with the playground, where she'd been going since she was a baby. The principal commented that the playground wasn't as easy to use in this weather (we recently had a foot of snow). Suddenly, out of nowhere:

Lily: You have to be really careful when there's snow and ice. You could fall on the slide or fall down.

Principal: That's right! But if the kindergarteners have snowpants and boots, we let them play even if there's snow and they seem to have a lot of fun.

Lily: They could play but they would have to be careful. I know a lot of safety rules. Look! I have on two different socks! (Sticking her foot out).

Principal: I thought that was on purpose because it looks very cool.

Lily: I know.

Lily would have happily continued the conversation, but another parent arrived for the tour.

The parents were very interesting. There was a couple who asked a lot of questions about curriculum, after school programs, volunteering, advanced education programs and lord knows what else. There was another mom who inexplicably asked "Does this school have a kindergarten? I'm scrambling to find a kindergarten!" and then mentioned that her child was already enrolled in the early education program. It seemed odd that she would already be in the system and not know that all of the primaries have kindergartens. The other parents were me and a mom with her younger child in a stroller. The other mom mentioned that she had already been to one of the other schools and would be touring a third after this one. I felt ashamed when the principal asked me where we were touring and I said "Just here." Jim and I will probably look at a couple of the other schools, but I didn't want to confuse Lily by taking her to more than one.

We saw Lily's friend Tyler's classroom, and our neighbor Matthew's classroom, which was very exciting for Lily. She also loved the library. Both she and Jack said "Look at all the books, Mama!" and "BOOOOOOKKKS! OH! BOOOOOOKKKS!" The principal asked if Lily liked books and she said "Yes, I really do."

Overall, the school looked a lot like the one where I went to kindergarten, only more cluttered. As we left, Lily mentioned that the school was nice, and then asked me "What if I forget what it looks like before I have to go there?" I reassured her that we would be visiting it again for an orientation before she had to start school.

Registration is next week. I have the paperwork ready and will drop it off on the first day. Hopefully, we will be in the 95% that go to their closest neighborhood school.