August 14....

Magick1 · #1 08-12-2008, 12:13 PM

is going to be a very memorable day....

The babester starts SCHOOL!!!!!

Oh my oh my...where did the time go for the past 5 years. I am on the fast lane now for a while....

**lynnzop**[$] · #2 08-12-2008, 01:30 PM

Wow. Congrats Babester!!!! Have fun! Is she looking forward to it, Kim?

Jeremy starts High School on August 18. I'm still trying to figure that one out.

Magick1 · #3 08-12-2008, 01:39 PM

Honestly, Lynn...she's petrified for some reason. She has been moody, grumpy, dropping into fits of super whiny to crying at the drop of a hat in the past couple of weeks.

I don't know why. Tonight, we are going to an open house where the babester gets to roam around the school, meet her teacher (we met last night and enjoy her), see the library, the lunchroom, etc.

She's been afraid of so many things: having to do spelling bees, what if I get lost in the school and you can never find me...etc.

She's been having tons of nightmares recently like mom and dad didn't love her and threw her in the back of a garbage truck, or over the edge of a zoo cage with tigers inside...it's been a wild couple of weeks.

I hope tonight, though, will allay some of her fears. She's a smart girl, great at making new friends, etc.

We took her to her new playground to play to get acquainted with the cool "big girl" equipment so she could look forward to it about 1 month ago, and she thought it was cool

But, the closer it has been getting, the more moody, emotional and wild she's been lately. Poor little bug.

**amykhar** · #4 08-12-2008, 01:53 PM

Poor baby

Do you have HBO? If you do, there is a good series called Kindergarten. Maybe watching that with her would help her get a sense that school isn't so scary after all.

Leslie2k · #5 08-12-2008, 01:57 PM

We are lucky. Nikki starts Kindergarten this year as well, but she has an older sister that is willing to talk her through what to expect. She is a little scared, but more excited. I admit, I think Dad is more excited to have 2/3 of the kids out of the house for a few hours each day though!

**jgibson2**[$] · #6 08-12-2008, 02:18 PM

My middle child was terrified of Kindergarten. He loved pre-school, but for some reason had gotten it into his head that he needed to know MUCH more than he needed to know to start kindergarten. He didn't want me to leave him. He had many more fears -- this is the one who just got married and who spent a few years running into burning buildings as a volunteer firefighter.

I took him to a one-on-one meeting with his kindergarten teacher and explained the problem. She showed him the books he'd be using -- which completely erased the fears of schoolwork. She also invited me to stay in the classroom as long as he needed.

On the first day of school, we got to the classroom door. He turned to me and said "Bye mom" and refused to let me come in.

That was pretty much the end of that.

**mtomm**[$] · #7 08-12-2008, 02:24 PM

I think it is pretty normal to be afraid, right? I remember telling my mom before I started kindergarten that I thought I would just stay with her from now on and not start school. I'm sure she was thrilled with that thought.

Give extra hugs to the babester from me.

All three of my kids are dreading school this year: one new to middle school, one freshman and one scared senior.

**thinkerlady**[$] · #8 08-12-2008, 03:40 PM

The teachers don't want summer to end. At any grade level.

**Prepoia**[$] · #9 08-12-2008, 04:56 PM

Amen.

*emeleel* · #10 08-12-2008, 06:02 PM

School in the next town over started last Wednesday. Started here on Monday. It could be worse, y'all could live here!

**thinkerlady**[$] · #11 08-12-2008, 06:42 PM

That would be terrible. When do they get out for summer vacation??

*emeleel* · #12 08-12-2008, 07:06 PM

Mid-May.

Magick1 · #13 08-12-2008, 11:01 PM

Our schools usually get out about late May...(they bank in some snow days, just in case so it won't be mid-late June).

Magick1 · #14 08-12-2008, 11:02 PM

Quote:

amykhar said

Poor baby

Do you have HBO? If you do, there is a good series called Kindergarten. Maybe watching that with her would help her get a sense that school isn't so scary after all.

No movie channels, otherwise, that sounds like a good show that would help!

Magick1 · #15 08-12-2008, 11:08 PM

We went to the school The babester was quite nervous, but she was a big girl. She walked in, introduced herself to her teacher and then was intrigued by all of the new stuff in her room!

We visted their art room, the music room, the nurses room, the library, and the special education room so she will know where one of her classmates will attend when they leave her room.

We then just wandered the halls, found her locker, and walked around about 3 times to familiarize her with her surroundings, how to get from here to there and back again.

We couldn't see the lunch/gymnasium, as they were finishing some remodeling projects and this area was off-limits today.

We went back to the main entrance and had the babester take us back to her room because all of the walking in and out of rooms, we weren't "sure" of where we had to go. She lead us right there, the right direction, without so much as a second thought.

Tonight, she seems a touch more relaxed. I think we went back into and out of her room 3 or 4 times all told (I lost count). But, she was jumping and dancing somewhat in the music room near the end, so I think her comfort level was increasing.

Thursday, will be the true test!

*emeleel* · #16 08-12-2008, 11:10 PM

Lockers in Kindergarten?

Magick1 · #17 08-12-2008, 11:36 PM

Quote:

emeleel said

Lockers in Kindergarten?

Yeah. They have 2 students share a locker. They can put in their wintercoats, boots, bookbag, whatnot in them and not clutter the room.

They are about 4 foot high and they are not locked.

**theworm**[$] · #18 08-12-2008, 11:38 PM

Lockers? What's that about.

I think that starting school must be exciting but terrifying. I'm sure she'll be fine after a few days - so many unknown things to learn and get used to. Once she makes some friends and learns her way around, she'll probably love it.

Share photos!

**Prepoia**[$] · #19 08-12-2008, 11:47 PM

We visted their art room, the music room, the nurses room, the library, and the special education room so she will know where one of her classmates will attend when they leave her room.

Okay....so why in the world would the teacher point out the special ed room and what was said to explain it? I have mainstream kids everyday in one of my class hours and the kids seldom know who is special ed or traditional classroom. And, because they have by then accepted each other so well on equal footing; when or if they are pulled for special attention or studies, the traditional kids either want to go too or they don't comment at all.

**lynnzop**[$] · #20 08-13-2008, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Leslie2k said

We are lucky. Nikki starts Kindergarten this year as well, but she has an older sister that is willing to talk her through what to expect. She is a little scared, but more excited. I admit, I think Dad is more excited to have 2/3 of the kids out of the house for a few hours each day though!

Good for Meg.

She's my sweetie.

Good luck Nikki!!!! Stay away from the kindergarten boys!!!!

Magick1 · #21 08-13-2008, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Prepoia said

We visted their art room, the music room, the nurses room, the library, and the special education room so she will know where one of her classmates will attend when they leave her room.

Okay....so why in the world would the teacher point out the special ed room and what was said to explain it? I have mainstream kids everyday in one of my class hours and the kids seldom know who is special ed or traditional classroom. And, because they have by then accepted each other so well on equal footing; when or if they are pulled for special attention or studies, the traditional kids either want to go too or they don't comment at all.

In the babester's room, there will be at least 1 student attending classes in this room. The teacher did not tell anyone, they had open house, the room door was open and the babester went inside.

She asked about the room, if she would be able to play with the different items in this room too (like we told her that she could in the music room, the art room, etc.).

The teacher in this room explained that this room was for some students but not the entire class and that this room (as she looked at us) and said that it was for special education and that they teach with a different teaching method with fewer children.

That was all that was said regarding it. Since the school had the open house, all of the rooms were open for parents to stop by and see all of the rooms where students would be (not the teachers' lounge or the back of the office).

Magick1 · #22 08-15-2008, 09:28 AM

It came way too quickly, but it was beautiful.

She was actually eager yesterday to start, get in there and did quite well. (Which was nice considering there was a girl in her class that was screaming, crying, and almost to the point of hyperventilation when her mom was trying to say good bye, have fun and see you in the afternoon in the class when we go there.)

Here's a pic of her.