First Day of School

Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school. ~~ Albert Einstein

Rachel and Anna have been attending a private Christian school for the past several years. Today, they began their education with our local public school. I was worried that they might feel intimidated by the size of the school since their last school was much smaller. But, they had no problems with the transition that I could sense. Some times I think when children start school that the parents take it harder than the children do.

I plan to walk them to their classroom each day this week. I want to ensure that they feel comfortable with finding their way on their own before letting them go it alone. After walking each of them to their classroom, I joined the other parents of the kindergarten or 4-year pre-k students in the cafeteria for the "Boo-Hoo Party." The school provided cinnamon rolls and milk to the parents. They also provided a cloth handkerchief with the Panda (school mascot) stamped on it so that the parents had something to dry their tears. They also read us a story that they planned to read to the children today. The name of the book is The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. Amazon provided a good summary of the children's book:

Chester Raccoon doesn't want to go to school--he wants to stay home with his mother. She assures him that he'll love school--with its promise of new friends, new toys, and new books. Even better, she has a special secret that's been in the family for years--the Kissing Hand. This secret, she tells him, will make school seem as cozy as home. She takes her son's hand, spreads his tiny fingers into a fan and kisses his palm--smack dab in the middle: "Chester felt his mother's kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart." Whenever he feels lonely at school, all he has to do is press his hand to his cheek to feel the warmth of his mother's kiss. Chester is so pleased with his Kissing Hand that he--in a genuinely touching moment--gives his mom a Kissing Hand, too, to comfort her when he is away. Audrey Penn's The Kissing Hand, published by the Child Welfare League of America, is just the right book for any child taking that fledgling plunge into preschool--or for any youngster who is temporarily separated from home or loved ones.

We were sure to kiss their palms at bed time tonight. Rachel promptly placed her hand against her cheek after I kissed her palm so I know she listened to the story today in her classroom. Anna smiled when I kissed her palm as well.

Jeff and I had lunch with Rachel & Anna today. Jeff ate with Rachel and I ate with Anna. The school allows parents to eat lunch with their children any day they wish. I was glad we did this today as it was quite hectic as you can imagine with so many young children. We were able to ensure the girls navigated everything and had a good lunch. While standing in line with Anna, one of the boys in her class started crying. He was crying for his Mom. I felt so badly for the little guy. I was greatful our girls weren't dealing with the separation anxiety like he was. I think the pre-k program they attended previously not only prepared them for their education but also prepared them for separation from us and for handling the social skills needed in the classroom.

I also learned a few things by going to have lunch with Anna. First, we will continue to pack their lunch most days. Their school entrees revolve around pizza, chicken nuggets, nachos, etc. They may also pick vegetables and fruit but I can't think of many young children who will choose the healthier options with the junk food available. We did pre-pay for some meals and we don't mind if they eat their from time to time but we wouldn't want them eating that food daily. Another reason we'd prefer they bring their lunch is that they would waste their eating time while standing in line if they have to go through the cafeteria line each day. We'd rather they had that time to eat their meal in less of a hurry.

Overall, both girls appeared to have a great day at school. Only time will tell if their education is as good as what they received previously in the private school. We'll keep tabs on it and make adjustments if needed. But, for now, all appears to be going well.

The milestone today was bittersweet. It's one step closer to growing up for our daughters. As parents we are excited about seeing our children cross these milestones but at the same time we mourn how the time has gone by so quickly. The little ones were only infants a few short years ago. In a blink of an eye, we'll be experiencing driving, proms, and college years as well. It was a relief that both were excited about school so no tears were shed on their part. It would have been harder for me had they protested. I remember when Anna was an infant and she cried non-stop the first time I left her in the church nursery. She was around 9 months old. Jeff and I were worried about her and after 10 minutes had passed, I went to the nursery to check on her. Her face was red and stained with tears. And, the front of her shirt was soaked from her crying. The people in the nursery tried everything to console her but Anna wanted her Mommy and Daddy and noone else would suffice. After that, we didn't leave her in the nursery anymore for a long while as she just wasn't ready. But, today, there were no tears and no anxiety. I suspect we will experience the same on Tuesday when they begin gymnastics.