KINDERGARTEN UPDATE

When JP hopped off the school bus on Monday afternoon with a big smile, I though we were in the clear.  Rookie mistake.  I had put so much emphasis on the FIRST day of school, but really, the SECOND day should be what really matters.  On Monday night JP seemed really tired and almost stressed.  He asked if he needed to go back to school the next day.  I heard him tell AA to tell me that I could drive him to school if I wanted.  My heart broke.  We talked a lot that night when I tucked him in.       I told him to give the school bus a try for just one week.

On Tuesday morning he again asked if he could stay home for part of the day.  Ms. Jeffre walked him to the school bus and reported that he just didn't seem as "enthusiastic" as he was on Monday.  

I was a basket case all day at work.  Tuesday was much harder on me than Monday.  But by Tuesday afternoon, JP ran off the school bus full of energy and smiles.  And he's been that way every since.  I'm not sure what happened between later Monday night and Tuesday afternoon, but somehow his stress had been lifted.  

On Tuesday he had "one friend.  I can't remember her name, but she's a girl."  By Wednesday, he had "one girlfriend and two friends that were boys." And by Thursday, he couldn't count how many friends he had made.  JP loves when Mrs. Wenum "wears her hair straight" and he was thrilled that he was one of only a few to receive "a special star."  Apparently "two girls got yellow lights because they were talking when Mrs. Wenum asked them not to" and one boy already "got a red light" but he didn't know why.  JP has "rest time- not a nap, Mom, on a little carpet squares that we can put where ever we want" and he loves using the "stylus on the SmartBoard."  JP has already recited a few songs and crafted a few art projects.  He hasn't "worked too much on reading because Mrs. Wenum is just giving us the easy stuff this week to see where we are at."  Bless him.

One of the most beautiful things A and I have witnessed is his friendship with the three kids at the school bus stop.  Parker and Eli (sixth grade twins) are the nicest boys I have ever met.  They are complete athletic studs.  For the last three days, they play catch with JP before and after school.  (Like twenty minutes after school).  They give JP pointers and even let AA play along.  They converse with JP and AA in the most polite way.  Even today in the pouring rain.  Their little sister, Kate (fourth grade) gives AA a hug good-bye when we depart.  JP now LOVES the school bus.  He is still required to sit in the very first row, but he feels pretty cool to be in. 

I guess I'll call our neighbors his school bus Guardian Angels.

And I'm so thankful he survived … we survived the first week of Kindergarten!