Back to School for the First Time

When they handed me my beautiful baby girl and I cradled her gently against my heart, I never imagined how quickly that sweet infant would be a sweet three-year-old. Well, here we are, and A is getting ready to start 3K. Mom has mixed feelings; A has one emotion: ready. I didn't plan on sending her to school until 4K, but when she heard all of her friends were attending school, she wouldn't hear of it. She must be in school, too, mommy. So, I caved and signed her up. Today, we met the teacher and needless to say, we were memorable.

I unload A and C from the car, and we walk up the stairs to the church that houses A 's school. We are met by the school's director, who is a friend and the director of our own church's nursery program. "What's wrong with C 's face?" she asks. Oh no, what is wrong with C 's face? I look down to see him rubbing his eyes, he removes his hands, and I see welps around his eyes and nose. Dell! "He touched a toy the family dog had been playing with then touched his face. Dell's dander makes him itchy." Not even in the classroom and I have one child who looks like he's broken out in hives. The other is hiding behind my leg.

We get to the door of her classroom, and A plants herself even more firmly behind my leg. "Come on sweetheart, let's meet your teacher." She doesn't say anything, but quietly walks over to the book case. Some other parents and children are already in the classroom playing. A 's teacher comes over to us and kindly introduces herself to A . Without saying a word, A makes her way over to some matchbox cars and begins playing quietly. I talk to a few parents and explain why my son's face is so red. I make my way over to the sink and rinse the Dell residue from C 's face and hands. The redness starts to diminish, so I try and find something for him to play with while A meets her new classmates.

"She took my green car!" A wails. I never really know quite how to handle this when it isn't a close friend or her brother, so I offer, "Why don't you let your new friend play with it for two minutes, then you play for two minutes. Let's take turns." Her "new friend" offers A a green truck, which quickly goes flying across the room. "A ! She was trying to be nice. Please pick up the truck and say thank you." A 's new friend and her mom get up and move to the table to speak with some other parents and their children. I will not be expecting a play date call immediately. I let A continue playing and grab a plastic hammer from a bin for C to play with. "I don't know how she keeps things clean." I overhear then notice some parents watching my son put the toy in his mouth. Seriously? I take the hammer from C , grab a wipe from my purse, sanitize the hammer, and put it back in the toy chest. I stand and walk around with C trying to make conversation with other parents. So A 's throwing cars, C r, whose face looks like he has a frightening disease is chewing on toys, and I want to ask, "Can we go out, come in, and start over?"

Many of the parents leave and I give A the "we leave in two mintues warning." Her teacher and I talk for a few minutes and she asks if the visit has alleviated any of my apprehensions. "It has for the most part. I just worry a bit about how A is going to interact with the other children at first. She can be so empathetic, but she doesn't love to share. Of course, she's three." I repeat "she's three" just to remind myself that her behavior is completely normal. Her teacher nods and agrees that A will do just fine. What mom doesn't worry about her child's first time in school?

C begins to grow impatient, so I take A by the hand, direct her to say good-bye and we head to the car. A doesn't even acknowledge her teacher, but once we walk out the door, she begins to talk excitedly about the mural on the hallway wall, and by now, C r's sweet eyes are almost back to normal. We get to the car, and she really opens up about her room and her teacher and when she gets to come back. And I know once A is comfortable and school begins, her teacher and classmates will begin to see her as I see her: sweet, kind, brilliant, funny, loving, thoughtful, assertive, and wonderful. I take a deep breath and realize that although, I'm not quite ready for her to begin school, she can't wait to start, so I brace myself for lesson 1 of one million in letting go.