And she’s off!

M. started kindergarten today at the school we plan for her to attend for the next nine years.1 She was up early and excited to get her uniform on and get out the door.

We walked her to her class, put her things in her cubby, and helped her find her seat. She sat and started coloring and we drifted away to the parent welcome coffee in the cafeteria. She knows two boys in her class, one from her preschool and the other is a family friend, so she’s not flying blind.

The school had an ice cream social last week, where we got to meet the teacher and her assistant and get a feel for the policies and expectations in the class. Her teacher is young but seems to have her stuff together. She was highly recommended by other friends who have been through the school.

Today and Tuesday are half days; normally M. will be in school from 8:00-3:00. When we picked her up at noon, she was full of things to tell us. They had chocolate milk at lunch! They got to go outside two times! They read a book she had read two years ago in her fours class! It seemed like the day went well.

When we got home, she rushed in to change her clothes then ran out to tell Grace, the five-year-old next door, all about it.

“My new school is the greatest!”
“You have to walk to the playground but once you get to the black concrete, you can run as fast as you want!”
“I’m best friends with the two Graces in my class!”
And on and on and on.

Not a bad start. Although she did question why she had to wear a uniform to school on the way home. I guess the honeymoon there is already over.

❖

  1. A reminder that M. is repeating kindergarten this year despite attending last year at her old pre-k. Her late birthday was the biggest factor in our decision. She’s ready for first grade in many ways, reading being the biggest, but could use an extra year of growing up in other areas. She seems cool with the idea, so we’re not sweating it. ↩