Christian's going to kindergarten in two weeks. Stop my beating heart...breathe deeply...I can do this!!! I am way more nervous about this than he is!! Please tell me this is normal???Okay, so besides the mini-meltdown I'm having at the thought of putting my child on a school bus, I really do need your help.
This is for all you moms who already have kiddos in school and who somehow have survived putting your babies on that big yellow bus.
I need some ideas...
Do you have any back-to-school traditions in your family?
What do you do to make the first day of school special in your family??
What's your routine like when your kids get home from school?
Do you have any clever things you do to help prepare your child for the first day??
You would think I would have this all figured out since I used to be a teacher and all, but I think that makes it worse. I happen to know just how mean kids can be and how unsupervised the bus is and how insanely wild the playground can get and how kids don't actually eat the healthy lunches their moms pack for them and.....
...this is when I should throw in a little Proverbs 3:5&6 or some Jer. 29:11, but honestly this really is hard and I have no earthly idea how God ever sent his only son to the messed up world when I can't even handle thinking about kindergarten.
Okay, so help me out here and leave a comment!!!
8 comments:
Caitlin only rode the bus home in kindergarten and got off the bus at Grandma's house...she loved that!! My mom had a candy jar and Cait got to pick one piece each day.
They went to a small parochial school so had to pack their lunch each day. I would put little cards in their lunchbox to encourage them through the day.
I will be praying for you as he heads to school! Remember you did this for Emma too and survived!!!
Laurie
It's been awhile since my K went to Kindergarten (she is going into 8th grade this year!) but I do remember the bus drivers and the school personnel kept a close eye on the kinders. K would watch out for the little ones when she was in the upper grades of Elementary school.....they would put the kinders in the front of the bus so the driver could keep an eye on them too. Little love notes in their lunches are nice but not too mushy. Both you and Christian will be fine....try not to be too fearful or it will rub off on him.
keep talking a LOT about how FUN it is and how he is going to just LOVE school! That YOU loved school so much that you had to go back as a grownup and be a teacher!!! I always have heart shaped brownies when they come home from school on the first day. Our teachers here tell us to do exactly what we will do for the rest of the year on the first day. So if he is going to ride the bus to and from all year, then have him do it on the first day too. The bus drivers keep a close eye on the kind. kids here - they have to sit in the front. My boys only ride the bus home, and i meet them at the bus stop (end of our court). Make it very fun and exciting to get his school supplies and things ready. Our K teachers have an orientation where the kids get to come in and see the class before the actual first day. As for lunch, the teachers do encourage them to eat their food...and they learn quickly that they will be hungry if they don't eat it. It will probably be ONLY kindergarten at recess (our K kids had recess on a separate playground just for K. One class at a time). Jacob had a GREAT year last year and Christian will too. You can fall apart and cry when you get back in the house if you want, but keep a happy, super excited face on for him that morning!!! Oh - and getting home from school. You'll have to play it by ear. Sometimes mine want to sit right down and do their homework. Othertimes, they want to have a snack and watch a show. Sometimes they want to run around in the yard. I try to let them set the tempo - they have been in school for 6 hours and may need to get some energy out. or he may be exhausted and need to vegetate with a show for 30 minutes.
I like this post (and reading the comments), because I'm feeling the same way/have the same questions. Steve and I were just talking about creating a fun "back to school" tradition and were thinking that a backyard campout the weekend before might be fun (and could be something we do every year). I have also heard about special dinner traditions the night before school, with a family "theme" for the year (or maybe a family bible verse, etc.) and everyone gets that theme printed on a card to keep with them while they're at school and the kids who are going to school get to wear crowns, etc. I really do want to have a back to school tradition, though...I think it's fun and important! Kristi recommended reading the book "The Kissing Hand" before school, so I think I'll try to get that this week. Anyway, we'll survive our kiddos heading to school (even if we do cry a little after we leave them)!
it's hard. you will hate it. but it will be ok.
have a fun snack waiting when he gets home. they will talk more if they aren't having to STARE into your eyes and their hands are busy. one time we MADE a snack together (my scones) and that really worked well! they talked a lot!
I agree with KAty on the after school thing. I made the mistake and forces J to do homework right as he got home! After all, that is what I did! But it didn't work for him. So now he comes home and waits to do his homwork after dinner! Less arguing= a happier momma! I will be thinking of you!
Wendy
It is a hard thing to do since being a teacher like you I know what goes on on the bus....but...he has to do it. I have had many friends and one family member that decided to not put their kid on the bus and drive them to school at first...and it turned into a mess. The struggle will be there later if you don't deal with it now....one piece of advice for you is to know the bus route...even if it is a short ride...my kids had a half hour ride and I needed to know exactly where the bus was taking them .... sometimes the newspaper or online will post the bus route and maybe you should drive the route so you know it and feek comfortable....it offers peace of mind when sometimes their bus is late getting them home or there is bad weather. Also let Christian have down time after school...he will be sooo busy during his day that he will need time to unwind and have a snack...don't take homework too seriuously ( shhh don't tell other teachers I said that!)
I agree with all of the comments so far. Also, be ready for a late bus the first couple of days. It WILL be late, so don't freak out. Also, assure Christian that the bus driver does know where to drop him off. When my little guy (going into 8th grade) started school he was excited. We prepared him for the ride to school and how to find his classroom once he got there. When he got off the bus in the afternoon, he was sobbing. He didn't know that "that lady" knew where to take him. Talk about breaking my heart! We also have a special school prayer the night before school starts. Every year my husband says a prayer that focuses only on our son's school year. I think it gives him strength and comfort - even in Middle School! Good luck and take lots of pictures. I am lucky to get one picture these days - it's just not cool!
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