Kindergarten :)

Like many parents, my kids started school this week. Ethan started fourth grade and Emmett started Kindergarten. Having a child start "real" school can be very emotional even if it isn't the first child to go. Perhaps it is because it is a sign to parents that their child is growing up, or maybe it is sadness the child will be away from you more, but sometimes it is pure happiness that finally you can stop paying so much for childcare - that is if you work like my husband and I do. With Emmett starting school on Tuesday it wasn't any of these emotions I felt.

It was FEAR! Not fear that he would be kidnapped, hurt, or dislike kindergarten. It is fear that he would get kicked out. I am sure some of you are saying oh yeah Kristina, right, but I swear if you had an Emmett you would understand.

Emmett did two years of morning preschool before he started kindergarten. He was in a small class of about 15 kids and the teacher had about 22 years experience. You would think it would be an ideal situation, but Emmett really struggled the first year - being sent home for kicking, hitting, biting, and even peeing all over the bathroom. Even though the second year was better, we still had troubles. He punched a boy in the face and bloodied his lip and threatened to slit his wrists when he got a timeout. You may be wondering, like we do, where he gets these ideas and behavior, but I must assure you that we monitor and limit his TV and video games to make sure they are age appropriate. I don't let him play with toys of violence, so the only thing we can figure is that he learned it at SCHOOL. We've had Emmett evaluated and are sure he has ADD - and some symptoms of that are his impulse control (you make him mad and he REACTS) and inability to control himself well, but we are committed not to treat him with medication at this point in time.

So, now you can see why kindergarten made me nervous! The first day of school was also my first day of class, so I couldn't be there to see him off. My husband took him to this new school and dropped off Ethan at his class and walked over to Emmett's class to get him settled. Emmett went in right away and put his backpack in his cubby, grabbed his name tag, and went over to say hello to his teacher. When it was time for Kevin to leave, Emmett simply waved goodbye and went and sat up front next to the teacher. He seemed fine, and when he was picked up, all went well for day one.

I told myself it is because he hasn't warmed up yet - he doesn't know the teacher well enough to start misbehaving, and I thought for sure trouble would come on day two. The drop off went fine, and when I picked him up from class he was in a great mood (unusual when he is tired from being busy). I asked him how school was, and he told me, "kindergarten is stupid. They make you raise your had to do anything, even talk and they won't even let you to to the bathroom without raising your hand. geez." I explained that was how big boy school went and then he complained that they give you the "tiniest snack that couldn't even fill up a baby." So far kindergarten had not impressed him.
On day three, he was very excited - he had made a new friend named Robby and wanted to know if Robby could come over and play that night. Robby was all he could talk about. Maybe Kindergarten wasn't so bad - he hadn't gotten in trouble yet, but an even more amazing thing happened. Emmett, who never wants to do ANYTHING you ask without throwing a fit, came right home and hung up his backpack and put his shoes away on the shelf. Then he VOLUNTEERED to take his clean clothes upstairs and even asked me if there was anything else he could do to help.

I was in shock. The school had clearly replaced my child with an alien pod creature that was kind and helpful! Or maybe kindergarten is exactly what a smart and spirited five year old needs! Only time will tell.