T’was the night before school began and all was quiet in the house…
OK, that’s not true. Nothing was quiet in the house.
In fact, nothing has been quiet in my house during waking hours since July 1, and I am truly ecstatic that summer is over, and my son is returning to school!
Whew. I survived!
New beginnings
But he is all of five years old now, and I must admit that I wasn’t always this happy to see him off.
He started pre-school when he was a year old, and I remember how odd it felt to leave him on his own at school for the first time.
Would he cry all day? Would he be the classroom terror? Would he wet himself because he was too shy to tell his teacher that he wanted to go? Would he catch an illness from one of the other kids? Would he have separation anxiety?
Letting go
Well, as it turned out, I was the only one with the separation anxiety.
He didn’t even tell me goodbye when he saw his new classroom and the other kids (after all we’ve been through, right?).
While I was happy it went smoothly, I still needed some reassurance that he was better off in a school setting than just day care or with a sitter.
Pre-school pluses
If you’re like me, read on for some reasons why you should be happy your little one is starting too.
- They will make friends: It’s normal to be a little anxious about your toddler’s personality and whether he or she will be able to make new friends at school, but trust me, there will always be plenty of weirder children than yours. In fact, kids always seem to do this strange ‘weird-off’ contest as a friend-making ritual when they see other children. (I secretly wish making animal noises was an acceptable way to introduce myself to adults). Before long, you will hear your little one telling you (way too much information) about the other children at school, and you’ll know that those social skills are being developed.
- They will become more independent: It’s completely natural to feel as if you’re the only one who truly understands your child and his/her needs, and to be wary of whether new providers will be able to care for your child, especially when there are other children who will also require attention. But mama, these little critters are remarkably adjustable. That whiny, finnicky toddler you know at home may turn out to be a completely different child when you’re not around. And even if they don’t, trust that their teachers are equipped to handle it all. C’mon, you know you overpacked that bag anyway.
- They will learn sooo many things: The other day I was driving, and my son was staring out the window. Suddenly he said ‘Look mommy, the mountain is white.’ I absent-mindedly said ‘Yes, there are clouds on the mountain.’ He replied ‘No! It’s not a cloud. That is fog.’ I was so impressed and humbled that I just sat there in silence wondering who taught him that. The point is, the world is so vast with so many things for them to learn, and you can’t possibly teach them all of it by yourself. Nope. Not even with Cocomelon and Word Party.
- They will develop a routine: That R word sounds good, doesn’t it? It might sound far-fetched now, but the next thing you know, your little bundle of spontaneity will develop some (heavy on the ‘some’) amount of focus, patience, and calmness when activities change sooner than they would like, or take a little longer than they would like. Pro tip: It may help to know what the school’s daytime roster is like so you can mimic the time slots on weekends for home activities.
- They will be tired after school *fingers crossed*: Let the Church say amen. I have no shame in saying there were many nights this summer when I was so tired from work that I fell asleep before my son and was just happy the house was still standing when I woke up. (Don’t try this at home; results may vary). Whenever he has school though, he sometimes doesn’t even make it to the dinner table before it's lights out. He also sleeps much more peacefully after a day at school. I guess those ABCs must be really hard work these days, man. I’m not complaining though, I’m just as tired as he is. School just levels the playing field.