Regardless of how happy these photos look, it has been a bit rough for our new Kindergartener.
Avery's first full day was today. He went 2 other times this week for 3 hours for phase-in. I knew he was getting anxious because the week before school started he stopped saying he wanted to go, he got whiny, cried more, etc. then he spent the past week with a good friend and her little boy and had a GREAT time there. So great that he never wanted to start Kindergarten. in fact, he really didn't want to come home with me. I am thankful for that, but it did make coming to school harder for him.
The first day he seemed fine. I had told him that I was going to walk him to class before the other kids got there (since I had to be in my own classroom) and he could help his teacher since he knows the lay of the land. :) He said "No! I know how to get there myself!" I told him there were too many supplies to carry in so I would walk with him that day and then he could do it by himself after that. Halfway to school traffic suddenly stopped. We sat there and sat there. Finally, I was able to turn around and we went to school a different way. By that time we were about to be late. I called the school and let them know. Finally we were on our way again. Then when we were almost to the road the school is on traffic stopped again! Ugh! The other way was completely blocked and this way was all backed up because of the other wreck. We finally managed to get to the school, 10 minutes late. It was pouring rain! I rushed the kids towards the door and then who should pull up behind us, Avery's teacher! She got stuck too AND she had gotten rear-ended in the process! Poor Ms. Blackburn. Her first day with students and she was late! We were all frazzled by this point. We ran in her room. I dropped his stuff and told him I would see him later. I had to get to my classroom since school was supposed to already be started. I looked at his face and he had a terrible look. I asked him what was wrong and he burst in to tears!! It was terrible! He said, "I don't want to be here!" I couldn't believe it! This was Avery who has pretty much grown up in the school! He went to school there all year last year, we had been helping Ms. Blackburn all summer, he LOVES here, and he had been to the classroom a million times. I called Ms. Blackburn and pointed at Avery. You should have seen the look on her face! I am sure it mirrored mine! We were both completely shocked. She came over and started talking to him and I went ahead and left. It makes it worse when the parent stays, although it killed me to leave at the same time. I sent a note down to her a little bit later and she said he only cried for a minute and he had already made a friend. I think all the craziness is what did it for him. I bet he would have been fine, otherwise. Darn rain and wrecks!
I talked to him after school and he started crying again! He said he didn't want to go even though he did like Ms. Blackburn! He said it wasn't bad and he had TWO friends, but he still didn't want to go. I told him he had to, of course.
He didn't go the next day because it was the girls turn to go. Thursday morning came and he came downstairs, after getting dressed, and he was crying his eyes out! He cried for the whole 20 minutes until we left for school! We got there and he stopped. He was trying to be brave. As we walked down the hall I could tell he was really trying to compose himself. He was taking deep breaths, closing his eyes for a minute, etc. We went to my classroom first and right outside my door was a HUGE spider. Even Sam wouldn't kill it and he is my spider killer! Finally another girl came over and killed it and we walked into my room, only to find a centipede hanging out in there! Geez! What is with my room?! I told Avery if I could be brave and walk in there with all of those scary bugs, then he could be brave and go to Kindergarten. We walked to his room. his footsteps got slower and slower, and I knew he wanted to cry, but he didn't. I walked in and went to his cubby to drop off a few more things. I turned around and he wasn't with me! He had stopped right inside the door and was sort of hiding there. We laughed at him and he finally came in and found his name on his table. I left and he didn't cry. He said he had a good day and liked it.
This morning he cried a little bit, but stopped pretty quick before school. He told me he wanted me to walk him down so I did. this time when I tried to leave he held on to my leg. I walked him over to his table and he sat down and cried a little bit. No one else was in there yet, so ms. Blackburn talked to him and I left. He stopped after 30 seconds. He really liked his teacher. I don't know why he is doing this. He doesn't adapt to change very well, I just didn't think this was a big change! Guess it is. He said he didn't like it as much today, and they had to already do work, which he didn't like, but he seems better with it now. He said there wouldn't be any crying on Monday. we'll see. He also said he still wanted me to walk him down. I told him I would on Monday, but he needed to go by himself on Tuesday.
So that is the start of Kindergarten for our little boy. I hope next week goes better for him.
Tomorrow we are taking a mini vacation to Holiday World! Yippee!
