Friday, September 13, 2013

Preschool Week One - Done!

With the exception of a lost shoe and a few tears, we survived Week 1 of preschool! (Please allow me to take a moment to pat myself on the back for a perfect on-time drop-off and pick-up record!)

I knew it would be an adjustment for my little girl, who has been practically glued to my side since birth. All things considered, she seems to be handling things exceptionally well. However, her little brother and I seem to be having a harder time dealing with this new chapter in our lives.

The night before Hana’s first day, I was juggling a host of emotions. I was excited that she would be learning new things and making new friends. But I was also a little anxious about her ability to fit in and deal with different situations without me. And when it finally hit me that this was just the first of many steps she would be taking away from me, I was downright sad. So like every other woman in my family, I busied myself with labeling her backpack and ironing her clothes to keep myself from fretting too much.

But alas, that only worked so long. Throughout the week, I’ve worried about her crying too much or not enough when I leave (Does she even care that she won’t see me for 3 whole hours?). I’ve picked her up each day, excited to hear all the new songs she’s learned. And still a tiny part of me is jealous of her new favorite teacher, who somehow knows the secret to getting her to clean up after herself.

Meanwhile, her 17-month-old brother (who has only recently settled into a consistent 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night) has been irritated about being cheated out of his last half-hour in order to be on time for drop-off. By Day 2, he had forgiven me, choosing instead to bask in his exclusive mommy-and-me time. But, I can also tell that he’s missing his wrestling partner in a big way, and is completely frustrated by his inability to tackle me.

Like strangers on a first date, the two of us have been awkwardly trying to figure out what to do without our fearless leader – Do we watch Angelina Ballerina, even though Hana isn’t around to make us? Are we allowed to go to her favorite playground without her? We race to pick her up at Noon in hopes of restoring order to our day.

Hopefully, the little guy and I will figure out our own rhythm and find special things to share the way I did with his sister when she was his age. I’m just glad she’s back home in time for lunch. Peanut butter sandwiches just aren’t the same without her!


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