Last night was TRC’s Kindergarten open house, a chance for parents to bring their new Kindergarteners to the school and let them check out their class, meet their teachers, look at the school–the whole shebang. TRC was extremely excited. The highlight of the evening for him was getting to go on a REAL SCHOOL BUS. He just couldn’t believe he was finally able to do something quite that awesome. It was fun watching him run up and down the aisle, pick different seats, talk to his friends about how excited they are.*
Of course, being back on a school bus brought back memories of my own. Crazy how even the smell (is it fake leather?) can take you back twenty years. The other parents on the bus started commiserating about where they had sat. (I was a middle of the bus guy–not far enough back to anger the cool kids but not far enough forward to have too many people think I was a dweeb. Not that that worked–people still thought I was a dweeb. But it didn’t stop me trying to avoid that label.
Which leads me to my next thought–my fear for TRC as he embarks on his school adventure. I look back on the whole experience as a very positive one, but I also know that, well . . . kids can be really mean. I worry that some brat might be mean to my son, and that there’s nothing I can do to shield him from that. I worry that my son might be a brat to someone else–and while I can do my best to teach him not to do that, I still won’t be there to see if the training sticks. TRC is a great kid. He’s full of energy, confidence and curiosity. I think he’ll do great in school, but that still doesn’t stop me from worrying.
Anyway–Monday’s the big day. Wish him (and me) luck!
*On a side note, I think this whole open house idea would be really cool for adults, too. What would it be like if adults could show the kind of emotion 5 year olds can put out? You’re hired on as a new employee, and you get to go a week early and have the place to yourself for an hour. Run through the halls. Sit in your chair and spin around a bunch. Pretend to type at your computer. When does that enthusiasm stop, exactly?
“When does that enthusiasm stop, exactly?”
First day of work!
BTW, I think all the bratty kids live farther south. Maine should be pretty much brat-free so TRC will be fine.
What a relief! 🙂
I grew up with a friend who went to a small school in Maine, and it seemed like there were too few people in her classes for brats to last long. I’ll send out thought waves for TRC.
As for getting an open house at work, I sort of got one of those. I moved to Ohio about two weeks before I started work. So I got to go into the office whenever I felt like it, use my empty office to get internet, hang out with the administrative assistant, get tips on fun things to do, … I suggest all employers do something like that. The required day-long orientation programs about benefits and corporate culture just don’t count.
That would have been nice–lucky you!
meanies
So far, at our school they’re REALLY aware of a bully issue. In K they talk a lot about how to deal with someone who’s being mean, using our wards, using I statements. It works pretty well.
I don’t remmber anyone talking about that stuff whe I was little and getting picked on.
Like, with kids who had fake spiders.
H
Re: meanies
Okay–let’s set the record straight here. That was Joel. Not me. He’s the tall one. 🙂
Glad to hear there’s a better shot of fewer bullies these days. Crossing my fingers.