New Year, New School

Sam finally – FINALLY – had his turn to go back to school!  With a September 10 start date, I think it’s pretty safe to say that he was about the last child in the state to go back to school this year.  And let me tell you, we were all ready for him to go back!  We did a lot this summer, but Mommy was out of ideas and we are all a little bored with swimming every day.  

Sam has been concerned with the idea of a new preschool since last spring.  I can’t blame him, Zion was like a second home for him and the new school held nothing but unknowns – hard for an adult, even harder for a young mind.  We visited a couple of times over the summer, and by the last week he was just so ready to be back in school that he was finally excited.  Hooray!

I learned through the grapevine that “meet the teacher” gifts are a “thing” in our new neck of the woods.  As much as I feel this practice is primarily for the purpose of winning the teacher’s affection early in the year, I would also be mortified to be the only one showing up empty handed.  So this happened:

The morning of the big day.  I wanted it to be full of excitement rather than fear or nerves.  What is more exciting than sprinkle pancakes?  Not much when you’re 4.  If only it were this easy to bring such joy to everyone in my life!

Sam walked into the new school with purpose and enthusiasm.  I was so proud of him!  He saw his name on a shelf with a few other lunches already on it and quickly asked for his so that he could put it in the right spot (putting your own lunch away was a big deal starting in the 2’s class at the old school!).  He walked back to the door at the teacher’s suggestion to give me a hug and then he was gone.  It was fast and it didn’t feel like I settled him properly, but I walked away.

And then I spent all day missing and thinking about the boy that I’d been in need of a break from for the past 2 weeks straight.

We were first in line to pick him up that afternoon.  He seemed to have a good day, but he said that “some things made me boring and some things made me nervous.”  Upon further digging it was all a combination of the unknown and a more formal learning environment (which would have come this year regardless of his school).  He loved the playground and is much fonder of the Spanish class at this school.  He has been singing little songs to me and slowly I am hearing more about their classroom.

Of course I heard plenty at Parent Orientation night.  Although his teachers are technically new this year, Miss Erin used to teach elementary school (before staying home with her baby) and Miss Jackie has taught here in the past.  I am excited about them and I think they’ll have a great year.

And finally, a story.  I told Sam that this year he will start to learn to read at school.  This really excited him and helped motivate him for the first day.  On our way to school on day 1 he told me, “Maybe I can read a story to you at bedtime tonight!”  On our way home he said, “I didn’t learn to read today.  How am I going to learn?”  If only it were that easy buddy…practice makes perfect!