The first few weeks of school have been rocky for us. I feel the need to document this transition here so that in 30 years when my kids call me, upset because their children are having a hard time adjusting to the start of a new school year, I can be appropriately sympathetic.
Because transitions are hard.
Cate had a rough start to second grade. Despite knowing virtually everyone in her class, she cried on the first day (and for at least a week afterwards). Second grade is tough! There is no official "homework" but Cate has reading minutes, math minutes, and spelling words to work on each night. I feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff(!) that we need to track but I'm grateful that Cate is extremely goal-oriented and, therefore, motivated to track these things herself. Finally, mid-September, Cate is excited to go to school and loves every minute of second grade.
Ben had a great start to Kindergarten. He literally sprinted out to the playground on the first day, not really caring if he said good-bye to us or not. After the first week, the honeymoon period was over. He missed preschool. He missed "doing whatever you want." He missed an art class where you actually created something (vs. drawing specified shapes on white paper). And, of course, he was incredibly tired! It's a big adjustment to go to school all day every day. Thankfully this phase only lasted a few days and now he too is excited for school.
And Maggie? The s%^t hit the proverbial fan yesterday. She'd been telling me all morning that she wasn't going to school. I tried being logical. ("You have to go to school. It's your job). I appealed to her love of her friends. ("If you don't go to school, Natalie and Libbie will miss you!). I tried bribery. ("Let's just try school. Then when you get home we can make brownies"). I tried focusing on the positive. ("Think of all the fun things you can do---painting, dress-up!"). I tried tough love. ("School is not a choice. You're going").
She willingly got into the car but when she asked me to carry her into preschool I began to suspect that things would not go well. She was hysterical when I left. Wailing, crying, thrashing of limbs. I could actually hear her screams echo off the walls as I walked to the parking lot.
And with that I have officially experienced every possible school drop-off scenario on the planet. I've had silent tears at school. I've had the stoic bracing of shoulders. I've had crying at home before school. I've had an over-the-shoulder wave. But this is the first time I've had to literally peel little fingers from my shoulders and forcibly hand a little person to the teacher.
When I called an hour later, imagining Maggie sobbing in the corner, I was told that she had stopped crying the minute I left and was now happily playing house with her best buddy.
When she got home I said, "How was your day?"
"Great!" she said. "But I not going back."
