Did you know they don’t take naps in kindergarten anymore?
It’s true! They spend those extra minutes learning sight words, factoring addition problems, and focusing on how to become upstanding citizens. Kindergarten has come a long way from the days we learned glue was not food.
Although last month marked my second time to fight back the tears at kindergarten drop-off, panic still struck as I watched Owen slip on a giant backpack and brave the hallways without me. My anxiety was full force, but his wasn’t. He adores school, and I am grateful for that.
He wakes up sad every Saturday because it’s not Monday. {I know this, too, shall pass.}
When I noticed the monthly writing prompt was learn, the first person who came to mind was Owen. I am amazed at the way he has transformed from toddler to student. While I’ve already divulged the lack of naps in modern kindergarten classrooms, I thought I’d let him do the rest of the sharing. Here are the best things about kindergarten, according to my five-year-old son:
- Math. I don’t think I will ever forget that “Make his hat, make his back, make his belly round and fat,” is the proper way to make a five. That could be because I hear it 500 times a day.
- Dancing. To stave off the afternoon crash, Owen’s class does brain breaks. Most of the time this means getting funky for five minutes. He’s a big fan of this.
- Martin. Owen was quick to tell me that the guinea pig who lives in his classroom is a big part of why he doesn’t like Saturdays.
- Recess. There are monkey bars there. Enough said.
- Stories. He has both Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Brown Bear, Brown Bear memorized and he recites them to me regularly. He tells me that sometimes the teacher’s reading is replaced by a Smart Board video. Yay, technology!
- Lunch. Not only can Owen now open his own bag of chips, he was stoked to find out about pancake day.
- Music. Owen’s favorite activity day is Tuesday because he gets to go to the class he affectionately calls “instruments.” He gets to hear from a magic slinky and play something called a boom-whacker. What’s not to love?
- Bus Rides. My kids are car riders, but Owen hopped on a bus last week for a field trip to the county fair. He loved petting goats and bunnies, but he said the bus ride was the high point.
That lump in my throat still rises when I watch Owen trot up the school sidewalk by himself. He’s confident, but it can be hard for me to imagine him on his own. However, I know he’s fine. He is being cared for by the wonderful staff. He’s being encouraged every time he picks up a pencil or a ball or a book. His eyes and ears stay wide open and he is fully immersed in this new world.
Kindergarten is going swimmingly for my kid, and Nathan tells me fourth grade isn’t half-bad, either. I understand these whiny Saturdays will dwindle, but I’m enjoying it while I can. Owen is soaking up every minute of school, and I’m trying to soak up every bit of this stage he is in.
How’s the school year going so far for your kids?
Jessica Bauer is a small-town girl raising her bunch in southwest Arkansas. Her cast of characters includes a husband of 10 years, three mostly sweet kids, and a flock of chickens. She blogs about them all at Life With the Bauer Bunch. Stop by to check out the good, the bad, and the funny in motherhood.
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