5 Months and Counting

Kindergarten physical - check

Immunizations - check

Kindergarten Registration - check

Kindergarten Assessment - check

Kindergarten Prep packet completed - check

5 month wait until the first day of kindergarten - YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!

Everyday we go through the same questions about when kindergarten actually starts. The whole concept of time is so abstract for kids. Karissa still doesn't get it. Come to think of it, I'm not so sure Kayden gets it completely either! But multiple times a day kindergarten is the major topic in this house. Everyone we see gets the run down of Kyler's checklist for kindergarten and how he is all ready to go. 5 more months of this...

But tonight I have been thinking that I've just got to be more patient. Getting ready for kindergarten IS BIG! It is so big that I remember my own kindergarten registration clearly. I remember where in the elementary school it was, questions I was asked, and how I was so worried when I couldn't show the lady that I could zip my own zipper or tie my shoes yet and thought I had failed my registration until the lady assured me that I was good to go. I played "going to school" for days after sitting on the sidewalk out in front of my house with my bag of books, pencils, crayons, and green and white striped scrap computer paper with perforated edges. I had two big brothers who were already in school and it was finally MY turn to go too.

Recently talking to Grandma, she was telling me the story of how her father came to her and asked her if she wanted to start going to school. It's a story she has told me quite often. Even through her dementia, the details are clear to her too. Starting school was a huge event in her life, a memory that she clings to still. She loved school, and later became a teacher for many many years. I see the thrill on her face and the excitement in her voice as she talks about those memories.

I probably drove my mom nuts in those days before kindergarten too. In fact, I'm quite sure I did! But I've decided that the nuts stop here. I'm going to be just as excited for him as he is about school! This is a milestone in his life. I think I'd have worse problems on my hands if he wasn't excited anticipating the start of his school career. Getting his shots and walking around like a cowboy for days after because he was so sore didn't suck the life out of his anticipation. He took it on as a necessary evil to get through to bring him one step closer to starting kindergarten. He was so brave! He's taken his Getting Ready for Kindergarten Packet the school sent home with him on registration day so seriously and couldn't wait to tell Kayden and Karissa that he had "homework" too.

I hope his enthusiasm continues to grow. I hope his teacher is wonderful and nurturing and challenges him. I hope he loves learning and is willing to take on the challenges that school brings. When his pre-kindergartner is at this stage or if he is 41 or 93, I want him to be able to look back at this milestone with good memories too. Besides, someone who is this excited about school has got to have potential for a lot of greatness, don't you think?

Here's to the next 5 months-Nuts free!