Sarah started school yesterday. It went about how I thought. She was fine the whole way there, and as we walked into the building she started to get quieter. The closer we got to her classroom the more withdrawn she was and as the teacher welcomed us she started to cry. I was really hoping that three months off and some trips to summer camp would cure the need to cry, but not so much. Maybe it was just that the first day is so overwhelming, maybe she just fell right back into the same routine, maybe she was just petrified of me leaving her alone. I don't know what it is, but it doesn't give you a lot of warm fuzzies as you walk away and can hear your kid crying back in the room. The only kid, by the way, crying in the four-year-old room. Because by four years old, your kid should not be crying when you drop them off.
I don't feel great about leaving her, but I'm more annoyed than sympathetic. Her school is awesome. Her teachers are awesome. She has a great time there. She just makes the whole drop-off thing difficult for everyone - me, her teachers, the other kids. It sucks. By the end of last year I was so pissed off every time I dropped her off at school that I almost stopped taking her. Except then her little four-year-old brain would have been reeling with the power of knowing that all she had to do was cry and I would give in. Unfortunately for her I can be pretty strong willed and competitive myself and I am not going to lose to a four year old. So I continued to take her and leave her kicking and screaming only to pick up the happiest little girl you had ever seen. I don't know how long I'll be able to take it this year, but she has the most amazing teachers and hopefully the are going to nip it quickly.
Wow, this isn't exactly where I thought I was going with this post, but I guess I had to get some things off my chest. Anyway, Andy is in art camp this week so I dropped him first and then Sarah and then got a taste of what life will be like next week when Andy starts school. I had three hours with just Amanda to do whatever I wanted. Even better, she fell asleep, so I really could do anything without having to pay attention to anybody else. It was heavenly. Of course we went shopping. I bought shoes for the girls because I am a shoe aholic. That is another post that may never be told because Charlie does read this and I'm not sure I want him to know how bad it is. Needless to say when Amanda does finally start wearing shoes she is going to look fabulous all the time. I half-heartedly looked for shoes for me, but it was more just to blow some time. Either way it was relaxing. Lovely. Brilliant.
Andy starts school next week. We will finally be on a schedule. We've been pretty good and kept them on their bedtime routine and time for most of the summer, so we haven't and won't have issues getting them out of bed. It's been kind of nice to not have to be anywhere for the last few months, and that's going to change significantly next week, but there's good in the schedule too. We'll all sleep better, our lives will be a little less chaotic, and the kids will do all the things that are going to mold them into the people they will become. Scouting, art class, gymnastics, soccer, you get the idea. I'm excited about what they will be doing, but also glad to have a little time each week when I can get a break, rejuvenate and work on being the mom I want to be. You know, the ones that's a little more sympathetic to the little girls she leaves crying in the classroom.
No comments:
Post a Comment