At this stage in my mommyhood, I wanted to share my feelings about the preschool world. When I started this post I wrote about the days leading up to preschool and how I was handling it and decided I didn’t know what else to say. That was because I didn’t know what to expect and didn’t have a lot of words for it. So I have included my feelings before preschool and then two weeks in. I wonder how I’ll feel halfway through the year and at the end of the year? All new experiences as a parent are something to remember but also to giggle and smile at too. Because you all know we are a tad bit crazy about our kids as well as everything about them!
A week before the first day of Preschool:
I am a clueless parent of a prekindergarten child. I have no idea what to do, what to expect and I am trying not to cry at the fact that next year she will be in kindergarten and my other little one may be in preschool! Time is going by so fast! So if you’re like me you are doing as much as you can before school starts to get yourself prepped for your child to be in school.
I find myself prepping my child to make sure that they are polite, they know how to wash their hands well, and that they understand what kindness means. Being kind and polite is something we have taught our kids from day 1 so I don’t know why I am so worried… but as a parent do you ever stop worrying? I am sure that is a fat “NO” from all the veteran parents out there as you giggle over my franticness.
I have searched for the few things on their shopping list for the class: Chubby crayons, lunchbox, backpack, and a pocket folder. This wouldn’t be hard, right? WRONG-O! My kid found that her favorite color is green this summer, and everything had to be green… do you know how hard it is to find an all green lunchbox? Well, I will tell you. Short of using our Amazon Prime, we went for a sort of blue-ish green lunchbox because that was what we could find a week before school starts at Target. (‘Cause last minute shopping is what I do best.)
I feel like I am more anxious about her first day than I was about any of my own first days for school. Worrying about what to wear, how to do her hair, what I AM going to wear for drop off and how the heck to pack a lunch box for a preschool kid who lives off of veggies, fruit, and air. This will be interesting.
After two weeks of Preschool:
My little learner loves to find any little bit of information to take in and asks many questions. I can’t wait to see how she will be at learning in a school environment.
As we’ve glossed over the first two weeks of preschool, I have seen her already grow and blossom with new things to share and new ideas about the world around her. She is really into asking questions now and wants to know “why” for everything that happens.
We did figure out the quandary about her lunchbox. She loves the one she picked out and is very forthcoming about what she wants to eat. Our preschool is paired with the k-12 school and they have an option for lunch from the cafeteria so maybe (MAYBE!?) one day she’ll want to do that.
We had fun dress up days already and got to play in the gym and library! Every day I ask her “so how was school? What did you learn? Did you make any friends?” and I feel her excitement as she tells me all about what she did. She’s already learned some new songs and phrases and says she misses me when she rushes out of school. Putting a smile on my face, I am glad she is happy and getting a good foundation in school.
It is hard, however, to pull yourself away as a stay at home mom from not being the main influence maker and teacher in your kid’s life. Ensuring they are happy and doing as they are to do when they are around you 24-7 is easier than when they are someone else’s priority for most of the day, three days a week. Relinquishing control is bittersweet but I am happy that these days are changing and my kids are growing, however, it is still sad that it seems like it is happening so fast.
But, hats off to preschool teachers, and all teachers too! You help us navigate being parents by enriching our children with your lessons about everything there is to know and helping them become awesome people!
