The First Day

Yesterday was H's first day at his new preschool, but before I get in to that, I'd like to take you all back to Friday, Meet the Teachers day at the new preschool. H and I walked in with a friend and her son who is only a few months older than H and is in his class. A little later, C arrived to meet the teachers, too. There are twelve children in the class, and the room seemed a bit cramped, particularly with all the parent and siblings in there too! H quickly spots a fire truck to play with and is happily pushing it around while Ms.K is telling us a bit about the activities they will do, how their day flows, what to put in their backpacks, etc. Then she mentions that while the parents go to meet with the director of the preschool, they want to try to keep the children in the classroom. Warning bells go off in my head before H even knows what she's proposing. Sure enough, when I tell him we're going to leave for just fifteen minutes or so, he's crying. Most of the children (who have never been in a preschool environment, remember H has been going to a Moms' Morning Out for a year and a half, although he's been out for the month of August), they're fine, a few, "no, mommy, don't goes," but they settle down. When I go back to get him, truly about fifteen minutes later, he's still doing the "I've been crying" sniffle-breath. Oh no! When I ask him in the car why he's so upset, he says, "he wanted to be with me." When I say, "But you knew Mommy was coming back and was only going to listen to someone talk for a little while." He responds, "But I didn't want you to go listen to someone talk."



So, here's the thing, I am sort of blaming myself. I had told him we were going to meet the teachers, that I would be WITH HIM, not that he would be staying in the class with the other children for a bit. When he started to get upset, I thought of saying, "I told him I would be with him, so I am just going to take him with me," but I was peer-pressured out of it by the other parents leaving their sons and daughters and by those same sons and daughters who were happily staying. I don't know if I did the right thing or not. I think if I had it to do over again, I would just take him with me. So, Labor Day weekend was spent reminding H about the first day of school, and how he's gone to school before, and he's my big, brave boy.



Cut to the night before the first day, I have trouble sleeping. Cut to the morning of, my stomach is in knots. I give him the option of the drop-off line or W and myself walking him in, he opts for the drop-off line (good, b/c it is a to-do to get W out of his car seat, plus when it gets cold outside, I really would rather do the drop-off line). He acts hesitant to get out of the car for the director for about fifteen seconds. Then, he gets out, and goes in to have a great first day! I am praying the next school day goes as well.