Tomorrow my firstborn is going to start school! Real school! Kindergarten!!! Now I know most of you reading this are thinking Kindergarten isn't much different then pre-school, and in many ways it isn't. Here is it only 3 hours a day, he might not learn too much more then what he already knows, etc etc. But to me it marks a HUGE change. I feel like I am losing him to this place where I have no control. He now can't miss days without being punished, can't be checked out to go on whatever trip or outing I just want to take him on without having a long note explaining his absence and proof I really am his parent taking him. He has to be there at certain times, turn in HW or he is punished, follow certain rules, and the list goes on. I am all about rules and schedules and having order in life........within reason. That being said I know the public schools have got to crack down and put boundaries becuase there are those who are not good and need the punishments, but those who are actually responsible suffer because of it in many ways and now that I have a child in school having to adhere to these rules I find myself caring a WHOLE LOT MORE about what the rules actually are.
I already have experienced being a frustrated mommy and school hasn't even started. I didn't get him into morning kindergarten because there were no more slots left. Frustration number 1! And so upon finally coming to the conclusion the afternoon was good and we would like it and we would get the teacher we wanted who is supposed to be the best and is only teaching afternoon I found out that he actually didn't get her and instead got one I know nothing about! Frustration number 2!!!
I know he will do fine in his teacher's class, and maybe she will be even better for him then the other one and it will all turn out ok, but I feel such a loss of control and just loss and it is actually hard to explain! He will do great - he will excel - he loves school! I love school! But then why is it so hard for me to let him go?!?
I am glad to say I find relief in that he makes friends so easily, is extremely bright and smart and will excel academically, and is not shy and so will adjust just fine. However, what if he gets made fun of for being scared of climbing on the playground? What if he finds a group of kids that is the ones that get made fun of - or worse that he is in the group that makes fun of other kids. I don't want him to be bullied, and I really don't want him to be the bully. I don't think he will, but how will this year affect his self-esteem? Will he leave each day and return with the confidence he has now?
I hope so!
I just have so many different emotions and feelings about this and although hard to express and I do worry I am also really excited for him to be on this adventure and get to start going to school. I LOVED school growing up (minus the end of 5th grate and most of 6th grade when we moved to Provo and I was the one who didn't have friends and got made fun of!) But I loved learning, and school came easy and I always excelled acadmically. Cash is similar in that he loves learning and things come easily to him so I think he will love it too!
My focus when he started pre-school was that he made sure everyone was his friend! I didn't care about anything else but that he would be nice to everyone and be a friend to his class!
I have decided that for our Annual PRE-START-TO-SCHOOL-DINNER we would continue with the theme BE A FRIEND!!!
That is the theme I have chosen for the year and more than anything want him to learn that we all need friends and so we need to be a friend to others that we would want! I hope this year is a great one for him! Love him so much......and now for some random pictures from the last few weeks of summer I haven't posted yet!
My 5 year old Cash man at Knottsberry Farm - in line for the big roller coaster (he informed me he doesn't like the baby rides anymore, only the big coasters)
Later that night Chip and I went out for a date to dinner down at Manhattan beach! There was a gorgeous sunset!
We took this ourselves, trying to get the sunset in the background!
Then a lady stopped and told us she would take it and to move over here where the picture was better - thanks for helping us out and getting the pier and the sunset too!
We walked down on the pier and I shot a few pics of the shoreline!
And of the moon and clouds and Chip at the aquarium!
This picture however was the highlight of our night. We were sitting on the balcony for dinner having so much fun watching and making up stories of the people below......the one kissing was the most entertaining as they were probably late 60s, extremely drunk, and couldn't keep their hands off each other. Everyone around them was noticing, the bartenders were trying to decide what to do, and he kept grabbing her by the hair and yanking her head back and then kissing her......it was so funny to us and definitely not our normal date night out scene!
Love having clean kiddos and this little guy is so cute as a monkey! Love Griffin!
For FHE one night we went to the pier with the kiddos and stopped at the creamery for ice cream first. It was a huge hit with our kiddos! Loved taking pics of Griffin eating his cone. Surprisingly none got on his clothes either!
Cash enjoyed his chocolate chip cone!
Ivy LOVES ice cream just like her mom! It was almost as big as her face at first. I took the second picture and made that face and she saw it and tried to do the same! Chip was in the back and it's the only pic I got of him eating his ice cream! But he was on this outing :)
Once the ice cream was gone we went down and walked the pier and I shot a bunch with my nicer camera. Was playing with settings and things I learned from my book and Kelly and practicing. Got some great shots!
The family!
These fisherman were so picture perfect I couldn't help it!
My life!
The boys wanted to play with this and it was perfect for some cool photos!
Love Cash's expression on bottom right! Funny boy!
One of my favorites!
Another favorite!
Cash didn't want to wear these yellow pants and threw a huge fit in the car, but by the end of the night after 2 people commented to him they liked his pants he asked me if he could wear them the next day too! Power of a compliment!
What a great night!
The boys are best buddies and here were doing a little water color one afternoon while I worked on a project!
Enjoying a night out at Cafe Rio with Daddy!
Cash had to get a bunch of shots - as in 5 and a TB test before he could go to school! It was no fun for him, but overall he did ok. He was great til she brought the shots in and he saw the tray with all of his, and then the 4 that Ivy had to get and then it was a lot of tears until he was done! Sad for mom too! I hate shots! Here he is playing before the big event!
Ivy is the toughest of my kiddos when it comes to shots and yet she cried pretty hard this day too after hers and also got a TB test - and it broke my heart!
Cash finished up 6 weeks of swim lessons and is now a little fish, swimming all over under the water! Glad he liked it and learned so much!
Here he is listening to his teacher - this last class he was the only boy and the only white kid! It made it very easy to spot him :)
At the wall
Ready to hold his breath - asked me to count to 7 minutes...haha...
Practicing with the noodle!
Here he comes! The goggles are so funny to me!
After swimming all by himself from the rope!
Griffin's entertainment during the swim lessons....not sure why he is holding the one arm with the other!
Ivy running from Emma during swim lessons - she liked pointing thru the fence and yelling "caaaaa, caaaa" at cash! She is a big fan of his!
He is growing up and learning so much so fast! I can hardly keep up and love my 5 year old kindergarten boy!
