So the day has come and gone. August 22, 2011 has reared it's ugly head but we were not afraid! (Well, I was. A little.) We pushed forward with our heads held high, our shirts tucked in, and our laces tied tight! That's right ladies and gentlemen, Aiden (and I) conquered his very first day of Kindergarten! Can you believe it? I know, right?!
Aiden was excited about school from the moment he opened his eyes this morning. I'll admit that I was a little excited, too. Not so much because he was going to school but because he was already awake when my alarm went off and I didn't have a sleepy monster on my hands. He got dressed with little help and even tucked his shirt in with some mild instruction from his dad. He put his school bag on by himself and picked up his snack bag with a smile on his face. I was relieved that he was excited but my mommy feelings kicked in and found myself fighting back tears.
As we pulled up to the front of the school I let myself absorb the beauty of it. The building has been there since the early 20's and man-oh-man, is it a sight! Decorative steeples and arched windows are nothing compared to the enormous, red doors that seem to attract the sun's rays. Above the arch of the doorway, there is a beautiful Miraculous Mary statue welcoming the children with open arms. In my opinion, that image of Mary is perfect for the front of a school. She stands tall with sincerity and love on her face and arms outstretched ready to give deep hugs. The kind that make everything better. To me, she is the image that would bring peace to all children.
As Aiden stepped out of the car, Albert instinctively went to take his hand and I could hear Aiden say, "Dad! I'm a big kid now, you don't have to hold my hand. And I can get my bags by myself, too." Albert laughed it off but I could tell it hurt him. Just one of a million tiny cuts we, as parents, endure over the years. Aiden grabbed his bags and marched right up to those doors like he had been doing it all along and we were the new students...I watched with pride and heartache.
The next 20 minutes or so were even more amazing. Aiden picked up his tray of breakfast and milk, sat down to eat, and then threw away all his trash. (All by himself! I didn't have to say anything!) Not too long after that the time had come for the students to go upstairs to their classrooms. Without us. I walked him to the base of those wretched stairs, got my kiss and hug, and watched him climb to the unknown. He didn't even look back. Sucker. I think he knew he had to be strong for the both of us and he was. I spent the next 2 hours fighting the urge to cry that "ugly cry" and only allowed myself a few tears here and there.
I drifted through the rest of my day in a fog. A relentless fog that would not leave me until it was time to pick Aiden up from school. I got a pep in my step and found my purpose. All was finally right with the world...
His class was the last group down and his poor teacher looked...tired. Really, she looked a bit disappointed. Like when you meet your favorite celebrity and they turn out to be an asshole. You know, that deflated look. I thought I could offer a few words of encouragement, something to let her know that we were in her corner. I started to make my way through the crowd. To my surprise, she was coming my way with a look that said she had something to say to ME. I was excited! As soon as she was sure I could hear her, she erupted. Not a violent, dramatic eruption, but a slow and steady spew that took it's time. First question out of her mouth was, "Is there a...Do you have a....code word or something?" I was stunned silent and I'm pretty sure my mouth was left hanging when my face went blank. As she continued her soft flow of words I stood there wondering what in the hell she was talking about. You mean to tell me that my sweet, baby, angel Aiden was a handful today? He liked to talk? What? He wanted to play with everything and everyone and had a hard time focusing? What? You mean my 5 year old boy, with NO classroom experience, was excited to be surrounded by 23 children his own age? Oh, and he had a hard time focusing and following directions that were said to him in Spanish? Wow.
After she was finished I asked if she had any suggestions for me and she said, "Well that's what I was asking you. Do you have any suggestions for me?"
*a pause*
Ummmmmmm, no?....
I wish I could have been more help, I really do, but I spent hours filling out forms explaining that Aiden is an unusually bright, articulate, gifted child with ZERO classroom etiquette. Of course she was blindsided, she didn't bother to pick up any of the forms I packed. She didn't even send anything home for me to discuss with him. (She said she ran out of time.)
Now, don't get me wrong, I like her. She is sweet. A soft spoken girl with a beautiful smile and cloudy bluish-green eyes. I knew Aiden would NEVER take her seriously unless she had a darker side. Or, unless she was super organized and came in with a game plan. Bottom line, she wasn't prepared and Aiden took advantage. Now, she's home with a headache wondering if she's on the right path in her life and Aiden is home, exhausted and punished from all video games. I hope they both learned from this first day. I know I did! Tomorrow, I will enjoy my day!
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