The Last First Day of Preschool
Back when my three children resembled nothing so much as a pack of squiming puppies, I announced to the universe that I would put them in preschool for a mere six months before kindergarten.
My thinking at the time was pretty self-centered. I could teach them whatever they would learn about sharing and putting things away and being poilte and sitting quietly for storytime. I could totally teach all that, plus reading and writing and math of all sorts. Preschool, to my mind, was for kids without siblings, or kids who would be in childcare anyway. It was a blatent attempt by some mothers to push their child out of the nest for a few hours so that they could get manicures and have chichi lunches with friends.
Oh, I disapproved. Strongly. Someone should have slapped my judgemental smirk off of my face.
My oldest attended six months of preschool. My middle child attended six months of preschool. My youngest is going to be attending preschool, two and a half hours a day, three days a week for two years. TWO YEARS. And I'm fixin' to get me some chichi lunches and manicures, along with a few moments of peace a couple of times a week.
Not that any of my friends have time for chichi lunches. And manicures? Well. It's not going to happen. But when I was staring at the calendar this summer, realizing that I had two full years before my youngest will be old enough for kindergarten, and I've got all sorts of ambitious plans for writing, 99% of which currently wasn't taking place until after the last kid dropped at night, that social interaction and exposure to common germs sounded pretty freakin' awesome.
Anyway, on the appointed morning, I got her dressed up in a cute little dress and big girl panties - a tricky move on my part, because the little darling isn't exactly 100% down with the PT. She's good most of the time, but...
We had a big conversation about using the potty, and washing hands, and not picking noses, and playing nice, and suddenly we were in front of the building. We parked, and as I held her hand and started towards the building, she skipped and hopped excitedly beside me, tiny hand squeezing mine with every bounce.
"Mommy, I'm so excited!" She squealed this phrase over and over as we made our way up to the door. We stepped though, where I realized that we know about three-quarters of her class already. Most of them are younger siblings of my older kids' friends, so it felt like Old Home Week at the preschool.
My daughter immediately found the toy cash register and began to organize her new classmates into a line so that she could ring them up.
I stepped back and watched as she melted into her new little social scene, and smiled at some questions from her teachers. When it became obvious that she was fine, I bent down to give her a kiss, and she whispered "Love you, Mommy!"
I grinned all the way out to the car, hit on some firemen, did the Target thing, and then it was time for pickup.
When I looked through the plate glass window into the classroom, I saw my big girl sucking her thumb and pulling her ear. She looked like she was processing a boatload of new information behind those eyes. She presented me with a still-wet painting of a red apple, and gave me a big kiss. I asked, "how's my big girl?" She smiled up and me, and stuck her thumb into her mouth after declaring, "I'm ready to be a baby now."
We walked out to the car, our joined hands swinging as we walked.
I questioned her about their activities. "What did you have for snack?"
"Oh! We had juice and crack."
"Juice and CRACK?"
"Crack, you know, crackers?"
I didn't realize that's what kids were calling Ritz these days. I'm so out of it.
After a quick lunch, we marched off to school to pick up the other kids. She ran. An entire mile. She flat out ran it, so fast that I had to break into a trot to keep up with her. Maybe they really did give them crack. Or maybe it wasn't juice - it was "juice" of some performance enhancing sort.
She never napped, despite my biggest hopes. And although she managed to stay dry at school, she finished the day with a big poop in her panties.
Tomorrow, we do it all over again. She can't wait. And neither can I.
Comments
Juice and crack, now that's a SNACK.
Posted by: Sheryl | August 30, 2006 5:25 AM
That is the SWEETEST story that I have read in a along time. I had tears in my eyes thinking about when my 4 month old is ready to go to pre-school. I so loved the "I'm ready to be a baby now" comment. It is so sweet.
Posted by: KRISTINA | August 30, 2006 6:04 AM
I used to be all "*I* only went to one year of preschool, anyone who puts their kids in for two years is basically using it like a daycare!" But here I am with my FIRST kid going two days a week and he's not even three yet.
And he absolutely LOVES it, so whatever. I'm not going to feel guilty about it and neither should you!
Posted by: Amanda | August 30, 2006 7:16 AM
Crack is the new snack.
Posted by: chris | August 30, 2006 7:28 AM
Juice and crack. That is one hell of a pre-school!
Posted by: Jenny | August 30, 2006 10:16 AM
What a lovely post! My three year old starts preschool properly on Monday. I'm really looking forward to it but I'm already missing my big boy/baby.
Also thinking I might check what snacks they provide at his school...
Posted by: Ella | August 30, 2006 2:15 PM
I'm the bad mommy that put our daughter into preschool as soon as we found out I was preggers with our son. I just felt I needed time to be sick and yucky feeling all alone. LOL.
Posted by: Kimmie | August 30, 2006 3:43 PM
Last year my son started preschool at 3, and will go back again this year. I was always like you, in thinking that I could provide whatever my kids needed before kindergarten, and even ran a home preschool for my older son and some friends. This kid? Is WAY different. He needed the social interaction, structure, and even time away from me. The first couple of weeks were rough, and I felt tremendously guilty, but he really does love it! I even have looked into some more structured, longer options for him for this year, although he is going to stay where he is. I am even beginning to think that he would benefit from all-day kindergarten, and I never would have thunk it with my older son. You guys will both benefit from preschool!
Posted by: baseballmom | August 30, 2006 3:55 PM
Aaand?
Did you get anything done from your big list?
Me neither.
Posted by: barbex | August 31, 2006 1:54 AM
So cute! My 3rd child does that thumb sucking and tugging on her ear too. And back to school next week for the older boys. First time on the school bus for my 3 y/o. Hopefully he'll get on. Crossing my finger b/c guess who's too busy with chichi lunches to drive him to school? Yah, I wish!!
Posted by: Waya | August 31, 2006 5:20 AM
Both my daughters went to preschool. When the first one went, I thought I'd have to go with her, she screamed and cried and I felt nothing but guilt, but she finally got with the program. The youngest one was a different story. The first day she walked into school and surveyed her new domain like a young queen, and that was that. She was barely pottie trained, but within three days there were no more day time accidents. She'd arrived. It was a good move for both of them, but for very different reasons.
Posted by: molly | August 31, 2006 5:26 PM
School starts for my older son on Tuesday. My younger one? Doesn't start until the 18th. I am gonna get that manicure on Wednesday though. I wonder who I can sucker into keeping my youngest little darling. Are you up for it?
Posted by: Christy | September 1, 2006 5:52 AM
my son is 15 months and in india they go to play school by 18 months. i have been fighting it but recently he went to visit with my parents for 15 days. my uncle runs a playschool next door so he hopped across and went to school everyday with a box and bottle. mum tells me he fights to go there everyday... now i am really considering sending him because i so want him to go to a place with ppl his size and have fun....
Posted by: the mad momma | September 1, 2006 7:49 AM
Dry all day? Woo hoo!
And never underestimate the power of chichi lunches and manicures. I'm loving both those things more and more.
Posted by: Mary Tsao | September 2, 2006 8:25 PM
"I'm ready to be a baby now." Priceless. Older children say that, too, but not in words. THank you for sharing this heartwarming story!
Posted by: Daisy | September 3, 2006 11:02 AM
Hi Jenny.
We wanted to know that we linked to this post for the Silicon Valley Manic Monday Mashup. You can view it at http://svmomblog.typepad.com/silicon_valley_moms_blog/2006/09/manic_monday_go.html
Jill Asher
Posted by: Jill Asher | September 4, 2006 8:39 AM