Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Big Day
It's a very exciting day around here: FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE! Can I get a "hell yeah!" ? Man, these last few weeks, while busy, have been looonggg. The kids have been grousing and being downright mean to each other. Tempers flare, tears flow, and school couldn't start soon enough. And today was the day. We were ALL ready.
Nicholas only attended a 1/2 day kindergarten program, so this will be a big change for him. He's most excited about taking and eating lunch at school. Picking out his lunchbox was serious business - he finally settled on Cars. And he gets his very own thermos for milk that has a cup on top into which he can pour his own milk - wow! This wasn't a tough sell, but I was ready to had it been necessary because I wasn't too keen on paying $.50 for a milk everyday. After just a few days of that he could have bought a whole gallon, so it's way more economical to buy a little thermos and tote your own milk to school. Like a big boy with a cheap mom. The way I had to as a kid. But I *am* being nicer than my mom had been by allowing Nicholas to buy a hot lunch at school 2-3 times per month. We'll probably hit once a week before too long. But those run $2.25, which isn't too bad all things considered, but I can make one for a lot less and it would be healthier to boot. Although, I'm giving props to our school because they're offering things like brown rice and fresh fruit and not a lot of sugary items. Hence feeling better about buying hot lunches on occasion. Nicholas has already scoured the menu for September and selected the lunches he wishes to buy. He's the kind of kid that must have that all figured out in advance. He's also mega-amped about figuring out his school clothes for the week and putting them into the hanging shelf thingy in his closet, arranged by day. My child, he loves organization.
I didn't cry or get emotional about this big day. Mostly I think I was excited - for him and me. He was excited about starting school and I was excited to have him gone for the majority of the day. Does that sound bad? He's a great kid and I love him to pieces, but he's high maintenance/needy and I'm ready for a break. I'm ready to look forward to seeing him when school lets out instead of feeling exasperated about him hanging off me all day long. Lauren and I walked him to school today and got him settled into his classroom. He has his very own desk and we figured out where to put his backpack and lunchbox. These are big deals and he only feels comfortable when he knows the rules. I must confess to peeking into the window - from a distance - to make sure all was well. And it was. He's off and running as a first grader - yay! I'm going to pick him up after school and we're going to drive behind the bus so he'll learn the route and see where his new bus stop is. It used to be at our driveway (kindergarteners get door-to-door service), but now it's about 2 blocks away. And his morning bus stop is different from his afternoon stop because there is a morning kindergartener on our street just a few houses away. But that won't be his stop after school, so we'll "practice" today.
Oh how I wish we had year-round school!
// posted by MP @ 9:34 AM 
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Here's your HELL YA!!! I'm with you on that. Oh, I was so ready for a break. Now the day's speed by and I look at the clock and think "Didn't I just drop her off??" Any way congrats on the first day of school. Enjoy, I know I am.
MCM
MCM
# posted by 
: 8:06 PM
: 8:06 PM
MP,
Long time reader, but I don't believe I have ever posted.
I have a question for you (and I hope it doesn't sound cheeky). I am just curious as to why your son is taking the bus and staying at school for lunch when you are a SAHM? Again, just curious...
Thanks.
Lynn - mum to Jeremy (grade 1) and Eden (kindergarten)
Long time reader, but I don't believe I have ever posted.
I have a question for you (and I hope it doesn't sound cheeky). I am just curious as to why your son is taking the bus and staying at school for lunch when you are a SAHM? Again, just curious...
Thanks.
Lynn - mum to Jeremy (grade 1) and Eden (kindergarten)
# posted by : 6:10 PM
: 6:10 PM
Lynn, nope - not cheeky at all! I do stay home, but I'm also now working part-time from home (avg about 8-10 hrs per week). Nicholas is taking the bus for several reasons: 1) he thinks it's cool to ride the bus like a big boy, 2) we live *just* under the 1-mile mark from the school, so it's a long walk time-wise w/ two kids in the morning, not to mention the coming months of wet, wet Oregon weather, and 3) the cluster f*ck of cars dropping off in the morning at the school is atrocious. The bus is just easier for us all. And, I do go with him to the bus stop in the morning and I'm there when he gets off the bus in the afternoon. He rode the bus to and from school in Kindergarten, so now he's an old pro. My 3.5 yr old daughter can't wait to ride the bus to school and gets jealous that Nicholas gets to each morning.
As for why he stays at school for lunch... because everyone else does? At least, that I know of. We live too far away for him to come home for lunch, and the kids get such little time to actually EAT (I think it's 20 min), that it's really the only option. I ate lunch at school my entire academic life and didn't know kids who went home. I didn't know that was even an option! At our school, the kids eat their lunches with their classes in the cafeteria right before heading out for one of the recesses. I can join him for lunch at school periodically, which I plan to do, but eating lunch at school is just how it's done.
As for why he stays at school for lunch... because everyone else does? At least, that I know of. We live too far away for him to come home for lunch, and the kids get such little time to actually EAT (I think it's 20 min), that it's really the only option. I ate lunch at school my entire academic life and didn't know kids who went home. I didn't know that was even an option! At our school, the kids eat their lunches with their classes in the cafeteria right before heading out for one of the recesses. I can join him for lunch at school periodically, which I plan to do, but eating lunch at school is just how it's done.
I know what you mean about being excited. I love my kids, adore them. But do I want to spen 24-7 with them -- nope, not at all. That is so cool that he has a desk and everything. I wondered when that happened. Hope he keeps enjoying it.
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