And by “my” Kindergarten year, I mean Kate’s year in Kindergarten and me as her mom.
The whole “Starting Kindergarten” thing is actually a pretty big deal for both the child and the parent. And anyone who has been through that transition knows exactly what I mean.
Since Kate only ever attended preschool two mornings a week, the (obvious) shift to her being gone from 8am – 3pm, 5 days a week was a big adjustment all by itself. But there were a few other changes we didn’t necessarily expect, that ended up being a pretty big deal as the year went on.
Little Did We Know that Kindergarten Would Mean…
- New habits learned from other kids. Habits that you won’t necessarily like.
- That getting a “tray” for lunch was a HUGE deal. And required a 5 year old to memorize a 5-digit student code in order to pay for it.
- Clip systems, conduct folders and who was given a less-than-perfect rating on each becoming the chatter on the drive home each day.
- Our newfound love for the kids’ earlier bedtime. Gotta go to bed early to be ready for school tomorrow, right?
- Maddie whimpering, “I miss Kate!” as soon as Kate closed the car door at drop-off.
- That Maddie’s “missing” Kate couldn’t be that heartfelt, as they were inevitably bickering before we were off school property every afternoon.
- The realization that Kate was 5 going on 50. That child could have run that class this year (and with an iron fist!) if her teacher needed her to!
- How much minutiae of our everyday life would be passed along to the teacher. Kids tell their teachers E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.
- Drastic and sudden changes in long-standing favorites. For example, Kate suddenly was a gigantic Hello Kitty fan and lover of pink, even though she always used to say her favorite color was blue and had never seen Hello Kitty before she saw Kindergarten classmates with it.
Come the first week of August, Kate will again hit the halls but this time as a first grader. While I’m happy to have our first year of elementary school under our belts, I’m not so naive to think that this is the end of learning we will be doing as parents.
It could be preschool or 6th grade – what were your take-aways from this past school year?
My son is starting school in september…I don’t even want to think about it because everytime I do, I cry big old crocodile tears.
No, you’ll be so proud of him! they learn SO much! Little sponges and all.
That I worry about all of my decisions
Also, the habits thing is crazy. Abbey called Dylan a “stupid boy” her first month of school
Kate is adorable in her pigtails!
She looks so grown up in that picture. Too cute.
Kindergarten definitely brings about a whole world of change.
it SO does! I hope there isn’t as big a transition into First Grade!
I have another year yet before preschool…but Eddie is already talking about how excited he is to go to school with Brookey (his best friend at daycare who is also the daycare mom’s daughter). But I can see some of these things you mention already just from Eddie going to daycare. He suddenly wants the toys they have there (squirt guns and nerf guns and a trampoline…what?) And he picks up on the stuff some of the kids say (poopy butt, anyone? ugg) AND that his daycare mom says (“super duper!” ha ha!)
they pick up on EVERYTHING!
My son started the gifted program this year and boy was that a transition too – a lot more homework and reading and MATH (ARGH!!) But he (we) made it through and he did great. I will have 2 in school come August (G is starting Kindergarten!!) and that’s definitely going to be interesting…
I had to laugh at your list! It was right on! Especially the one about kids telling their teachers everything!
It’s so bad! If I didn’t know that’s what they ALL do, I’d be way more worried!
8th grade = a lot of Taylor Swift.
Ha! I’m scared! My girls aren’t into music at ALL though there’s one little girl we know who dressed up as Hannah Montana back for her 3rd or 4th birthday!
My twins will be starting 6th grade next year! I am a nervous nelly. My youngest is going into 4th!
you know? I always say Kindergarten is the one year that you see the most maturing in one year. From beginning of the year to the end is such a gigantic leap for our little ones. *sigh*
What did I take away this year? Well… my first grader can now read and write as well as I can. The amount of actual learning in 1st grade is mind boggling and eye opening. My fourth grader makes me feel like a friggin idiot. Be ready for that, Liz. In a few short years, your fourth grader will run circles around you intellectually.
I haven’t gotten past this year, obviously, but I can totally see how and why Kindy is such a big deal! Glad I have more experienced mamas to clue me in.
One more year of preschool here. I can’t believe kindergarten registration is a mere 10 months away! I’m sad and proud and worried…. glad you shared some insights!
We learned in preschool this year that leaving mom is hard, but getting to share what you have learned in car ride home can make it worth it.
Dude…school scares me. I’m not ready for it yet!
Congrats on making it thru the 1st year mama!
Sounds like a great year to me! That code remembering thing is a big deal! Congrats to Kate!
I am SO not ready to let Riley go 5 days a week. I will miss her. And Liam starts preschool next year. Too many changes for mama! Looking forward to a long, slow summer…
My Monkey is going to preschool once he turns 3 at the end of the year – I’m not sure what to think of that!! Or rather, mixed feelings of yay, he will be occupied in a good, safe environment from 9-12, 5 days a week and I can focus on the baby. And OMG my baby’s going to be away from me for 3 hours every day!
Yeah, I may have given this too much thought.
My little munchkin started kindergarten this year too and I think the biggest shocker for me was how catty little girls can already be. It’s insane. It’s seems like every week there’s a story of who is not speaking to who and who has teamed up against who. It’s madness!
Oh they are always ready before us! She looks adorable:)
Ugh we did the blue to pink switch this year too! I was really sorry to see blue go
Iris is in PreK but it’s a full day program so it was a similar JUMP for her. She handled it well.
What I see in her is a massive leap forward in terms of maturity. She was a handful as a baby. While she’s still spunk on a stick, she is so much easier to be around. Which is good. Because we are traveling this summer and I will need her to fall in line!
(Why, with only two children, do I act like I lead an army?)
Congrats to Kate. It’s a big deal.
it’s so sad when you see “peer pressure” in their decisions, isn’t it?
BTW, my new favorite phrase is “spunk on a stick”! NEVER heard that before but I love it!
My oldest is finishing up fifth grade and preparing for middle school. I can only imagine what he is going to learn.
However, I can say that he has already learned quite a bit from older siblings of friends. Said older sibling range in age from 14-19 and as a result my darling boy has asked me such fine questions as:
“should I care if she swallows?”
I refrained from saying yes and played dumb.
“weed is better than huffing”
We had the drug talk after that.
“Richard Gere shoved a hamster up his rear.”
I would like to say that it was one child with one set of siblings that taught my kid this but that would be false.
Overall it has been a lot of fun to watch him and sister grow. We are having some great conversations now about history that I simply love.
You already know I puffy heart this comment.
But I do need to ask…is the love for history convos serious or sarcastic? Any “Al Capone died of syphilis” talks?
I love history so I have been waiting for the kids to reach a point where we can have more serious conversations about it.
Haven’t touched upon STDs and old Al yet, but we’ll get there.
On a related tack I’ll share two other similar conversations that have become a part of history I won’t forget.
We’re in the restroom at Chilis and my then 7 year-old is taking care of his business. He asks me to explain how babies show up. It is not the first time he has asked so I decide to answer the question.
I provide a very simple explanation of what happens, who sticks what where and tell him that in 20 years he can buy his own copy of the Kama Sutra.
He listens and then starts laughing. When I ask why he is laughing he says, “you peed on mom…twice!”
I explain that is incorrect but he is laughing too hard and insists that one day he is going to “pee on all the girls.”
Being a smart father I respond by telling that one day he may want to do it with all the girls, but that won’t be it.
And that isn’t the only story…oy
Our school year isn’t finished yet, but I had one enter kindergarten and one enter middle school. Since it was my second entering K, that wasn’t a big deal. But my daughter starting middle school? SO DIFFERENT! And what will also be a big deal? My current K-er starting first grade. His K is half days, but first grade will be all day. I can’t even believe it.
Le sigh.
it’s *such* a big year, isn’t it?
So very full of beginnings and endings.
One more time: le sigh.
Such a sweet perspective! I used to teach Kindergarten, and I ADORED it for so many of these same reasons; it is such a very important year for these little ones. And, they really do tell their teachers a lot.
My son is almost three, so we have a few years before we start this. I can’t imagine being on the parent side yet.
Awwww, love how sweet she is in that picture! Congrats on another one under the belt… and best of luck as she returns to school as a 1st grader!
I thought kindergarten was half-day in the States! I’m surprised.
Kids start here at 2 if their birthday to 3 is before Dec 31 and the days are 8:30-4:30 (although first years can go half days if the parents want).
In lots of states it is. But down here it’s full day. And just to prove the point that it’s too much for a 5 or 6 year old, they nap them every day!
My daughter is only two and I already have anxiety over kindergarten. Good to know they tell the teachers everything.
One weekend when I was in first grade, my dad jokingly suggested to my mom (I don’t think I was supposed to hear) that we should hit the nude beach that day.
(Side note: He was only 26 years old. Not that this changes the situation. But still.)
Anyway, that Monday, my teacher asked what we did that weekend and I raised my hand and said, “My dad wanted to go to a nude beach but my mom wouldn’t let him.”
Yeah. This was made worse by the fact that my dad was a teacher in the same district and EVERYONE knew him and my own teacher told the story for YEARS.
My dad was so lucky to have me. Really.
Good luck next year, Liz.
Tell Craig no nude beaches now.
I want to wrap up this comment in a huge red bow and keep it to open on a sad day. That’s how freaking awesome it is.
What a year of BIG firsts, and how nice to have them documented here to look back on.
Here’s to a wonderful summer together.
Aw, this totally makes me want to go back to kindergarten. But then I’d have to go through the rest of school, and that just sounds exhausting.