Jump Start to School

The school district here offers a great program for incoming Kindergartners called 'Jump Start'. It is 10 days, 2 hours a day of centers, singing, recess, snack.... basically school. We signed D up. He was so excited. He's been ready to go to school for at least 2 years. It's finally time!

Morning started at 6 a.m. with him coming to my bedside to ask if it was time to get up yet. I sent him back to bed. About 6:30 he came in and climbed over me to snuggle -- but not sleep -- in the middle of my bed. 6:45 I kicked him out for sleep disturbing infractions. Finally at 7:30 I sent him in to get dressed while I made some breakfast.

Roy took the morning off so he could go with us to drop D off and pick him up when it was done. We had a neighbor come stay with the girls so we could devote our attention to D at the drop off. We got there early and played on the playground while waiting for the teachers to come out and get us. D was still excited but was getting more and more anxious as the time for us to leave got nearer and nearer.

Finally it was time to go in. All the kids sat on a rug and started singing. Now was the time for parents to say good-bye and leave. D was not happy to see us go, but he didn't cry. He stayed in his seat. Thank goodness!

At 11 it was time to go pick him up. This time we took the girls. We waited on the playground (video camera in hand) for D's class to come out. It was so fun watching him march out in a line with his class. He is such a good kid. After his teacher had a visual on us, he could leave. We chatted D up trying to get the full report. Basically, he loved it and the anxiety was over.

As we were leaving, I asked D if he was hungry. He said, "Not really." Teasing him a little, I said it was too bad because we thought we'd go to Burgerville but if he wasn't hungry then we didn't need to. "Well, I guess I could eat." So we went to BV for a fun lunch. I am so proud of him. I seriously go between excitement and happiness to tears. It is such a crazy thing seeing my little boy, my first baby going off to school by himself. *sigh*