I'm already worried...

[Aidensmom]

About my son's first day of kindergarten the first week of August.

How do you handle sending your baby off to school where you can't walk them into their classroom everyday? He is very excited about it. I, on the other hand keep thinking "How is he going to know how to get from the cafeteria (for breakfast) to his class?" "How is he going to know where to wait for us to pick him up after school?" "Isn't he gonna be scared?" "What if he gets lost?"

Please tell me I am not an overly-paranoid parent.

 

[DVCLiz]

You're not an overly paranoid parent, just the mom of a new kindergartener!!!!

They all learn what to do, and there will be teachers to help him - imagine the chaos if every child were allowed to randomly wonder the halls, crying for their moms!!!! He will practice all of these things with his teacher and his class, and by the end of the second week he'll be a pro at them.

You, on the other hand, will still be a little misty-eyed, but that will wear off by Halloween at the latest, and over Christmas break you'll be mentally counting the days until school starts again!! (Just kidding, but not very much - I really do get used to the school year routine!!!)

Best of luck to your new student!! I have one going off to college - YIKES!!!! Now that's scary!

 

[ktpool]

Just being a perfect mom!

I got misty this year...and I was (almost) equally as sad the last day of Kindergarten. He is the youngest of the two and this, more than pre-school graduation, really felt like the end of their babyhood :-(

 

[Hannathy]

Sorry, but your being an overly-paranoid mother!

If he is excited you've done your job and he is ready. Instead of worrying be proud of how independent and self assured he is! He will be fine, don't hover.

 

[dvcfamily41801]

Our DS did not go to kindergarten this year, but he was in pre-first for his first year at "big school". Without a doubt, it was the worst day of our life for my DH and I. Matt was crying so hard getting on the bus, it actually took over 10 minutes to get him to go on and thankfully all the parents at the bus stop were WONDERFUL! They said they had all been there in the past, and that my DH, DS and I would all survive. It was horrible. The bus drove away and my DH and I were in tears. He even got in the car and drove to the school to see that he went in.

The second day, not much better, he cried, but maybe only 8 minutes. The third, maybe 2 or 3. Then he was off for 3 days for Labor Day weekend. We thought for sure, we would be back to day 1. By the next week he was LOVING riding the bus and was begging to ride it home again. He goes to Kids Club after school on most days. If my DH is off, he can ride the bus home.

We can't believe this year is days away from being over. It was excellent. He loves his school, loves the teachers, loves the bus and we could not be happier!

Good luck to you, it will be a tough couple of days, but it will be great!

 

[Cool-Beans]

You're a normally paranoid parent! We all go through it with the first one. But I think you may have started worrying just the teeny-weeniest bit too early.

All the little darlings are clueless and the teacher guides them through everything.

He'll be fine, Mom! He'll be paining pictures and having fun! It's you that needs the support, with your baby growing up an all. (He's growing up SO CUTE, too!)

 

[Beth76]

My oldest starts K in the August too. I'm a little concerned about sending him on the bus alone for the first day. I'd feel better if I could just walk him in, just on the first day. I know he'll be fine, but I know if it were me in his shoes I'd be absolutely petrified.

I know at K orientation they take the kids on a a little bus ride. I'm sure they'll show them exactly what to do when they get off the bus too.

 

[Froggyswife]

Not paranoid just a Mom. He will be fine. I promise.

 

[NAB]

It's always harder on Mom because it is your baby. Usually the childern are so excited about it they can't wait to go. I took my daughter to a few classes for a better word so she could get away from me because I was a stay at home Mom and she was always with me. I was hard at first. It was a getting ready for school thing.And they told us to break away quickly because it doesnt' do the children any good it you are holding on too.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Here is a fun thing we did....sounds stupid but....we lived on a court with lots of kids.
So, the day before school started we had a "breakfast party" at the bus stop.
We got the kids up and ready like they were going to school, backpacks and all.

Perhaps you could do something similiar? If not with a bunch of kids, you can do it with your kids and do the trial run. It is alot of fun and gets the jitters out.

 

[Aidensmom]

Here is a fun thing we did....sounds stupid but....we lived on a court with lots of kids.
So, the day before school started we had a "breakfast party" at the bus stop.
We got the kids up and ready like they were going to school, backpacks and all.

Perhaps you could do something similiar? If not with a bunch of kids, you can do it with your kids and do the trial run. It is alot of fun and gets the jitters out.

That is a good idea. He is going to a "choice" school, so it is not the neighborhood school, but a couple of kids from his Pre-K class will be going to the same school and I have a feeling that they would like this idea too. Thanks.

 

[shortbun]

As a school bus driver, it's rare for K's to ride the first week. Most parents take them in. When they do start riding, lots of parents follow the bus to see that their children know what to do when deboading. I recommend it. We've walked our son into school nearly every day of his school life. He's going into 5th grade. I think it's a greaat thing to do. Our school welcomes parents at any time. Don't assume your child's school won't want you.

 

[shortbun]

Here is a fun thing we did....sounds stupid but....we lived on a court with lots of kids.
So, the day before school started we had a "breakfast party" at the bus stop.
We got the kids up and ready like they were going to school, backpacks and all.

Perhaps you could do something similiar? If not with a bunch of kids, you can do it with your kids and do the trial run. It is alot of fun and gets the jitters out.

simalarly, we went to the school and played on the playground a few times prior to school starting. It's a great ice breaker.

 

[Cass]

I loved when school started.. I celebrated

To the OP, your son will be fine.

 

[miss missy]

We all go through that. I wouldn't let MIL come for 1st day because I knew she would make me more upset lol.

In K, it was a private school, so I did walk her into class everyday and didn't have any of what you speak of till 1st grade. Now that was more like her 1st day of K. She also had to change buses at one school to go to the K school. I freaked on that thought. Sooo what I did was... followed the bus and parked and WATCHED her swap buses for the 1st couple days I hid behind a car so she didn't spot me, but I had to SEE her get off one bus and on the other LOL. Yep I was nutts!!

Also when DS got on the bus in front of the house, and I mean for all grades I watched him till he stepped on the bus... one day my DD distracted me right at that moment and I missed it... so I actually called the school to make sure he was there LOL! NUTTS!! ANd I remember when he was at summer camp, age 9 or so, I used to peep and see them outside, just checking again LOL. Man we will make ourselves nutts huh!

But he is 21 now and I do not do that anymore

 

[Sherri]

I remember it like it was yesterday, and now my baby will be starting highschool at the end of August. Up until Kindergarten the time goes at such a nice pace, and I loved it. Once Kindergarten starts it all goes by so fast. The toughest part for me (though there were many) were our impromptu trips to the city or to shore or to visit family had to end. I was now on a schedule. Though we had one for Nursary school, if I kept them home to have a fun day I didn't need a note explaining it. My son's first day of Kindergarten after getting him on the bus, I came home and sat at the bottom of the steps and cried. My daughter who is 12 months and 2 weeks younger then him, said, its okay Mommy you still have me. Now that baby will be entering her last year of middle school.
Somehow you get through it and somehow you adjust. And I think that is one of the hardest things to do is to let your child go for the first time without you. Then you learn to adjust to a whole new life. No real advice, just hold onto every moment that you can. Your kids will learn all of the things they need to learn about school and you will be learning about a whole new world to.

 

[slo]

I was worried about this too I walked my DD to her classroom the first 2 days, and then she told me, "You don't have to come in Mommy. You can drop me off like a big girl." So, that's what I did, and she was happy

Good luck!!!

 

[JVL1018]

Aww It's hard sending them off.(Though I'm feeling sadder about the last day of K than I did the first day, I feel like it's the end of the little girl stuff )

As for getting from the caf to his classroom, don't worry-the school has been getting the kids around the school for ages, they will probably have to line up and orderly follow a teacher to class and they will be just fine!

It was a little hard bringing DD to school but we don't have bussing here, so I didn't have to stress about that, we just walked down the steet.

The K classes have outside doors-parents(or the adult taking them to school) must stay with the kids until the teacher opens the door and they go straight in. Same at the end of the day, parents have to be there and the teacher doesn't release them until she sees you.

Made it easy for all us sentimental parents. LOL

It was harder for me to drop my son off for his first day of preschool-I never really think of him as my baby baby because he's less than 2 years younger than DD, but when I dropped him off I started to cry thinking that both of my children were growing up..then as I drove sniffling home,I realized for the first time in 6 years I was wonderfully, gloriously ALONE AT HOME! and better yet, I got to be ALONE AT HOME every Tuesday and Thursday all year from 12:30-3:00.
That helped with my sadness.

My kids have been fine, ready and excited, which made it easy for me as well.
You will have fun seeing all he will be learning in Kindergarten, it's a wonderful time!

 

[mickeyboat]

My two girls started K together this year, and it made it a lot easier on me knowing that they always had one another, so never had to feel alone.

I drove the kids to school for the first several months, until they begged me to take the bus to school. They knew a lot of other kids on the bus, since they took it to day care in the afternoon, but I still got a little misty the first day they waved from their little windows.

I was actually a lot more emotional last year, when they started and finished Pre-K. I'm not sure why, but I just feel a lot more comfortable and confident knowing they are familiar with the school setting.

Next year they will be in full-day school, and I am most worried about lunch time. But I am sure they will do just fine.

Good luck to you.

Denae

 

[jennyl772003]

The school's really do such a wonderful job with the little ones. My DS started school when he was 3. It was hard on me, super easy on him. First day I took him, he ran to the back of the room to the other kids and never looked back

When he started full day in K, I was a wreck wondering how he would open his milk and get his sandwich out of the baggie, etc. Don't worry, between the teachers, aids, and other kids, your child will be fine.