We survived the first 3 days of school so far, and it has thankfully been a pretty easy transition. Besides David not setting the alarm the first day, we've been getting out the door without any problems. I'm not on time for anything, it's been a bit challenging for me. For working moms who have been doing this everyday, I can now sympathize with you. It's a lot of work and planning!
Preschool 4 years 2008
Kindergarten 5 years 2009
I spent the last few weeks of summer preparing myself, I mean Jake, for kindergarten. We got books from the library- (I'm sure you saw that one coming!) And I took him up to the school to play on the playground a few times.
I put a organizer in his closet, and every Sunday we go through and pick out the outfits for the week and put them in the cubby according to the day. That way there is no wasted time in the morning trying to find an outfit, and he can get dressed by himself and not have some weird outfit on.
I also wrote out a schedule to follow in the morning on the chalk board in his room. This gives him the responsibility of getting ready, which gives me more time to drink my coffee.
Here it is up close
I was planning on using the same backpack from last year, I thought it was so cute and you can't get away with cute backpacks past kindergarten, unless you want your kid to be made fun of. So I found a matching lunchbox and I thought we were all set.
Until we went to orientation, and kindergartners are now carrying binders back and forth everyday for "open lines of communication" between parents and teachers. A binder won't fit in Mr. Dinosaur, so we were scrambling around to find a backpack 4 days before school. I took Jake shopping and it was all I could do to let him pick out his back pack. I was praying the plastic Diego backpack wasn't coming home with us. For you mothers that allow your kids character clothes and accessories, God bless you. I wish they never made them. I made Jake check Target, Kohl's, Gymboree and Gap before he made a decision. He choose a red Gap space ship backpack. Thank goodness!! And kudos to Gap, who make junior backpacks for small kids. Most of the backpacks we looked at could fit a small child in them. The junior backpack is just his size.
Tyler is getting into the whole backpack idea too. He wears it a lot, and brings it with us to drop Jake off at school.
Finally, I saw this idea in Family Fun, and decided to do a countdown to Kindergarten. Each tube was a small supply for back to school. I did an eraser, pencils, ruler, and a coupon on the last day to Sattlers for a slush. I ran out of time though, and didn't fill the other 3 tubes. It's hard to find seven small school supply items to fit in tiny tubes.
Maybe next year.
I think all this preparation paid off. When we took Jake his first day, he went right into his class, no problem. I didn't cry either. It was a half day, so it didn't seem so bad. The next day, which was a full day, I cried at lunch when I got two plates out and realized he wasn't here for lunch. And then again when he got off the bus. I also cried a week before he even went to school, because I was thinking about it and maybe some pms had something to do with it.
I take him to school in the morning because the bus comes at 6:58, but in the afternoon, he is one of the first kids off, so we let him ride. I'm usually napping in the afternoon, I mean Tyler, so this way I don't have to wake him up to get Jake from school. He really likes riding anyway.
Tyler is enjoying playing with Jake's toys, and not having to share. I'm going to work with him a lot more, being the second kid has made him a tad on the slow side. We are going to work on counting and colors and montessori type activites. Today we did some water and baster play and we also pounded golf tees into styrofoam. It is so much easier to give him attention and see his personality shine through when he is alone. Yesterday, we played with mud in the garden, and he said "for shizzle my nizzle" I was laughing so hard. I don't know where he learned it. I don't listen to Snoop dogg with the kids around.
Jake seems to like school a lot. He was ready to go. I found him a few times summer just kinda laying around not really sure what to do. Kinda like same 'ol same 'ol. I think he was ready for something new and exciting.
Although I am grateful David has a job in this economy, his job for lack of a better word, sucks. He works looong hours all summer, including Saturdays. This of course is when all the fun happens, in the summer. Then in the winter he gets laid off and is home with me. After awhile I get tired of him being home. And unemployment doesn't pay much. On top of all this, we pay a lot for insurance and let's just say his paycheck doesn't go far with a family of 4. All this being said, the boys think that daddy has the coolest job in the world, next to Uncle Sam who is a train engineer. Jake is now old enough to get to ride with Daddy if he is in our area. They get some good boy bonding time in.
