First Day of Kindergarten

Liam heading off to his first
day of Kindergarten

My older son started school today! And it couldn't have gone better. The bus picked him up at the end of our block at exactly 7:02am, as scheduled, and the friendly bus driver greeted him by name. The rest of the family waved as he found a seat on the bus, and I got the tiniest catch in my throat at that moment, but mostly I was excited for him to start this new experience that he is so ready for! Timmy, on the other hand, was moping because he didn't get to ride the bus. He kept insisting, "I am five!"

Will and I dropped off Little Brother at daycare, then went to the school for a parent reception - and there was Liam again, standing with some classmates who were being gathered from various buses, so they could walk to their classroom together. We didn't want him to see us, so we ducked around the corner. A PTA mom saw us lurking, and gently reassured us it was okay, we were allowed to come in - she must have thought we were hiding out of shyness. Eventually we did go in, and had coffee and bagels with the parents of Liam's summer camp buddy Oliver.

Liam said he had a great time both at school and the after-school program, which was at a different school across town. The transfer via bus went smoothly. The one thing he had been anxious about was school lunch. (Making a big deal out of food? Gee, I wonder where he gets that from.) I put an Emergency Peanut Butter Sandwich in his backpack, explaining that it was there just in case he couldn't find anything he liked to eat from the cafeteria. Well he ate the EPBS, and a turkey sandwich, and melon, and milk, and some other stuff too.

Now comes our initiation to Montessori. Liam brought home three papers that he had to sign, acknowledging the behavior policy, weapon policy, and internet use agreement. There was a long note about parents saying goodbye at the classroom door rather than coming inside, and letting the kids put away their own backpacks and coats, because "it is always a goal of Montessori education in the classrooms to make the child independent and be able to do things for himself [sic]." And there was another long note about snacks, which revealed that the curriculum includes something called Grace and Courtesy. Maybe some of you readers are rolling your eyes right now, but I have to tell you, I LOVE this stuff. Eat it up. I could easily turn into a freaky Montessori zealot.

It was a great day at school. Couldn't have been better.