Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Kindergarten

I am sure there are a million blogs right now devoted to a child's first day of school. So of course I thought I would add mine.

I have to say... this first day of kindergarten was pretty ordinary - -there were no tears, no clinging, no anxiety..... she just walked into the classroom like she'd been there for years and years.

Now mind you, we had been preparing for this day for years and years! We started her at preschool about 2 years ago with the hopes that a structured, educational and fun preschool would be a great warm up to "real" school. We also sent Lu off to day camp for two weeks this year... so another first... another new thing to try.... another learning activity. She has taken it all in stride.

We also went to the junior kindergarten orientation which was held earlier in the summer at her new school. So Lu and I went through the classrooms and visited the library and gym and met the teachers. So again this was a great opportunity for Lu to see her new school and know that it isn't a scary place. She was also very lucky to have her friend Lizzie as a classmate -- I know this helped ease her transition from preschool to JK.

So what do we do now? She is growing up so quickly, right before our eyes. Lu dresses herself in the morning without prompting or pressure, she gets her shoes on and a warm sweater and launches herself out the door to the car. It has all been pretty darned easy.

But of course I think about her all day. I count the seconds until she and daddy pull up in the driveway and I can snuggle her warm and drowsy body into my arms and ask her a million questions about her day: How was your teacher today? what did you learn? Who did you play with outside today? How was your lunch? Did you get a new book from the library today? Did you make a new friend? What new thing did you learn today? and the list goes on....

Yes.. I miss her terribly. I know she is having fun, but I also know at school she will have sad days and meet some not-so-nice kids and maybe not feel well and wish she were home with me, and I know she is going to get tired... oh so tired.... So really all I can do is love her and be there for her and make sure she gets lots of sleep and washes her hands and helps me pick out lunches and snacks to make for her school meal... and, and and!