School started a few months ago. I was silent on the subject. She has a great time and loves it but I am a mess. I miss her. Often I get the dregs of her day, the crabby leftover attitude after a day of rule following. She adores her teacher. Adores the structure. Adores having feedback on her behavior and knowing how she is doing at all times. (Am I in the green zone? Purple? Pink? Orange?) She can work her way up the "behavior yardstick". For her, it is heaven. As long as she can stop talking to her neighbor.
Which for her might be pretty tough, seeing as the decibel level around here dropped significantly the moment I dropped her off. In fact, it fell almost silent for a little while, except for the middle guy and his car noises. No perpetual questions and conversation. Nothing. It was a little unnerving at first.
So pros and cons
Pros
- Getting up at 5:30 am is kinda my jam. Everybody dressed, fed, ready, and OUT OF THE DOOR by 7:30?! We get it done. Errands AND working out is done by 10am so the day is free to play, to read to my boys. It is truly awesome. (The grumbly bear, aka Matt might disagree)
- The house is clean. WHAT?! Yes. Well...mostly. When my girl is home, it is like a bomb goes off. She takes something from everywhere to make something amazing and it is truly a mess. Also, it is too early for the boys to make a mess. They start out more chill than she does and Judah can focus for hours on one box of legos.
- Music class.
- Art class.
- Meeting amazing new people who are passionate about teaching.
- Cora learning to read after so long being ready.
- She LOVES. IT. Really. I thought it would be a big shift for her, but she is crazy about school.
- Music class.
- Art class.
- Meeting amazing new people who are passionate about teaching.
- Cora learning to read after so long being ready.
- She LOVES. IT. Really. I thought it would be a big shift for her, but she is crazy about school.
Cons
- She is gone almost all of her awake hours and someone else is her primary influence. While this is OK (sorta) now since her teacher is great, what if she were not?
- Bedtime is strictly enforced. For me too. In bed by 7pm (them) or 10pm (me) or there is hell to pay.
- Saturdays now begin at 5:45 when the youngest gets up and is quickly followed by the rest of the gang who have been dragged from their beds before the dawn so often that they have forgotten how to sleep past 6:30 am. This completely sucks.
- I get half of the story. I am used to knowing about her life and now I get a half remembered thing that happened and often it is through her end of day filter and seems much worse than it is.
- Maybe it's a kindergarten thing, but they spend a lot of time learning how to be quiet. I have spent a lot of time trying to help her find her voice, to know who she is and state her needs. And now, it seems, that her needs must hush and wait while the grownups talk. I know some of that is necessary, but I want to hear her thoughts and ideas too.
- Oh my word, the fundraisers. And the deluge of papers and more papers.
- Her having to be in a classroom situation for the majority of the 7 hrs she is gone. Not a lot of playtime there.
The jury is still out for me. She is staying in public school (for now. I always add, "for now"), but I am not sold on the idea. I'm still not ready. So for now, I can't WAIT for the next school break.
- I get half of the story. I am used to knowing about her life and now I get a half remembered thing that happened and often it is through her end of day filter and seems much worse than it is.
- Maybe it's a kindergarten thing, but they spend a lot of time learning how to be quiet. I have spent a lot of time trying to help her find her voice, to know who she is and state her needs. And now, it seems, that her needs must hush and wait while the grownups talk. I know some of that is necessary, but I want to hear her thoughts and ideas too.
- Oh my word, the fundraisers. And the deluge of papers and more papers.
- Her having to be in a classroom situation for the majority of the 7 hrs she is gone. Not a lot of playtime there.
The jury is still out for me. She is staying in public school (for now. I always add, "for now"), but I am not sold on the idea. I'm still not ready. So for now, I can't WAIT for the next school break.
