First Week Of School

Mads had her first day of K1 (preschool) on Monday. Chase walked her to her school. Mads carried her little backpack all the way up to her little school. We opened the gate. Chase helped her put her snack bag in one basket. Her hat in another. Her water bottle on the water table. Chase found her name tag and helped Mads hang it on a peg next to the letter that starts her name. They worked together to hang her backpack on the peg next to her name. Chase gave Mads a huge hug and said, "I love you, have a good day." I kissed her and tried to be "cool," although I did have a twinge of sadness seeing my littlest rabbit gleefully hopping away from me - but of course, this is what we hope for...

And then she was off! And I found myself standing there while other mums had kids hanging, clinging and crying on them. And I knew I had to go. Even though I wanted to stay and watch. It was the easiest "transition" ever. Of course, it helps that I had taken her to playgroups there all last year. She was so happy to be back. So comfortable being there.

When I picked her up on Friday afternoon she said, "Mama, Gemma is my best friend." Sooo cute!

Chase, like Mads, had a staggered start, which is designed to give the teachers a day to "get to know" their students. Chase's first day was Tuesday. She then had Wednesday and Thursday off. And then everyone went to school on Friday.

She was so happy and exhausted by the end of Tuesday. I have never seen her like that before - and I really pride myself in running my children into the ground with projects and activities designed to keep them VERY busy. She told me all about her day, but two things stayed with me. (1) She told me her teacher played a game with the kids where they had to pass smiles to each other, and (2) she had a little run in with a girl who broke her lego house - and after she rebuilt it, the teacher said it was so great she wanted to keep it, and put it up on a shelf.

On Friday, she was assigned her buddy, an older student who knows the ropes and will take her to her bus after school. The greatest part (and strangest coincidence) is her buddy is actually our next door neighbor. It works out very well.

She also told me she saw a little girl who was looking really sad because no one was sitting by her and so she went over and asked her if she could sit next to her. Oh how I love her sweetness.

As Mads wouldn't let me take any pictures of her first day of school, I snapped one after she passed out waiting for Chase to get out of school.













And then school was over. And there were kids everywhere. And Madoc jumped to her feet and ran to her sister....