This morning my kids woke up at 5:30 a.m. because they were SO EXCITED! SO EXCITED FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
Perhaps they knew I was worried about getting out the door on time. Just doing their part to help; I appreciate it.
Mary Virginia looks like she’d been crying for the past 15 minutes because she’d been crying for the past 15 minutes. Something about a water bottle or hair bow or perhaps she should have slept in a bit? Eh, young lady?
While the big kids were in school, Thomas and I went to Kroger, Target, and the mall. On three different occasions, while actually holding my child, I said I was “kid free” and I meant it. Because when you have three kids, just having one is like having none amiright?
I told them to look like they were having fun.
Mary Virginia is in the three-year old class this year. She wore her party dress and is so excited to be in a big girl class with several of her friends from last year.
After pick-up, I asked her if she had a good day and she said, “Yes. I did everything good.”
David is repeating the 4-year class. After we decided to wait a year for kindergarten, we had to decide whether to go to send him to a different school for a pre-K program. Ultimately we kept him at his school because he had such a wonderful experience last year, and because of logistics — it’s easier to take both kids to one school. As a mom, I make a lot of decisions based on logistics.
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that we decided to wait for kindergarten because spelling is a milestone we want to push off as long as possible. How do you ask your spouse if we have I-C-E-C-R-E-A-M once the kids are in school?
I kid, I kid. The decision was actually a really hard one, which you can read about here and here.
When we were making The Kindergarten Decision it felt so weighty. But the moment we decided, I felt so, much peace and confidence about it. And when September rolled around and I watched my friends send their kids to school, I suddenly felt like I’d robbed a bank — like I’d gotten away with something. I realize now, more than ever, that I have a very limited number of years at home with my kids, and because of where David’s birthday falls, I got to sneak in another year.
Before, I was looking forward to shifting our dynamic at home. I was hoping that David and Mary Virginia might get along better if they had a little distance during the day, and daydreaming about only having two kids to keep track of. But now those are the only two things I can think of in the “pro” column. I legitimately can’t even think of another benefit to sending him to school.
Life as we know it is three kids — three little Krieger tornadoes who need snacks and water and for someone to come watch them flip onto the couch. Once school starts, all of that changes. I’m glad I get one more year.
This has nothing to do whether it’s right or wrong or good or bad to send young five-year olds to school (my birthday is August 29 and I went to school a few days after I turned five). In fact, maybe this is only about me holding onto my baby one more year. I readily admit that I’m not ready for my little birdies to take flight. I admit that near me is my favorite place for my kids to be. What I’m saying is that I won’t always have that option, so while I do, I want to enjoy it.
I think David would have done great in kindergarten this year; I think he would have thrived. But I think he’ll thrive next year too, and I’m thankful that we get one more year with all three at home.
When I picked the kids up after their first day they were exhausted, hungry, and even more excited about school than when I’d dropped them off.
It’s going to be a great year.
