Bode's First Day

I have to say, i am really impressed with this child o' mine. He has come a long long way. Looooong way. In the not-so-distant past (i think i use that phrase a lot), there would have been so much build-up to a new experience like starting kindergarten. So much fear. So much resistance. The drive to school would have been a nightmare. Dropping him off would have been nearly impossible. He would have been pulling on me. Showing all sorts of inappropriate behavior to deal with his anxiety. Not so today!

We took a couple of pictures of him on the front step feeling shy and somewhat embarassed by the attention. He and i jumped in the car and took off to school. He talked the entire way. I wish i could remember what he talked about. He talks when he's anxious, i've realized, but this was good, fun talk, too. Nonstop. We walked into the school together and there was zero hesitation. Sometimes he's sort of almost bold until we hit the door of wherever we're going and then the brakes go on. But he marched right in. The routine at this school is that the entire student body meets in the gym in the morning for the principal's greeting and to say the Pledge. This is where the brakes went on. Again, loud and chaotic. We had to figure out where his class was. They were supposed to sit in a line on the gym floor and wait and Bode wanted nothing to do with that. So i stood to the side with him and let him take in what he could. Once the Pledge was done, the classes were sent off (and i wasn't impressed that his teacher just walked away leading the line, but not noticing that after the first two kids, the others were sort of scrambled and not sure where to go. One kid ended up on the other side of the school. Didn't really inspire confidence in the "just drop your kid off in the gym" plan. I think i'll see him to his class for a long while, thankyouverymuch). We got into the classroom, found a hook/cubby for his backpack. The kids slowly made their way into the class and i tried to give Bode some space and he sort of stood alone for a minute until his friend Nathan came over to him. He's this sweet, huggy, kissy little boy. The teacher soon told the kids to go over to the rug for circle and Bode did. He plopped right down. Nathan scooched over to sit by him. And i felt no need to be there other than the fact that i couldn't believe it was possible to just drop him and go so soon! I went out into the hall where a few other moms were hovering around the small window in the door and watched for a bit, chatted with some moms, and then left. I was so impressed.

When i picked him up, he seemed happy enough. The teacher had a much better vibe. Bode said goodbye to one of his friends (he's been struggling with talking to people lately so i was happy to see this). Said goodbye to his teacher in a way that i could tell he seems to like her. So i'm happy with that. He's never been quick to tell me about what goes on at school/how his day was. Sometimes he won't say anything (even though he has great days). But today he shared quite a bit. They toured the school. They played the drums. They played outside and he played with another friend from preschool who's in the full day K class. What they had for snack. Etc. I hope some learning will happen and i'm sure it will. Right now it feels like it's structured just like preschool, but i just need to be patient. All in all, it was a smashing success. He seems excited to go back tomorrow. He got his uniform (just a polo with the school logo) in the mail today, and he wants to wear it tomorrow even though Fridays are wear-whatever-you-want days. I think it's gonna be good. Yahoo!