This morning we dropped Honeybun off at kindergarten for the last time. It was a stark difference from just 10 months ago when we dropped her for her first day. Our little girl who timidly walked into her classroom and meekly smiled at her peers confidently rode into the school this morning (without training wheels even!) excitedly shouting good morning to friends as she embarked on the end of her kindergarten journey.
It was a bittersweet moment (a word Honeybun learned the true meaning of two weeks ago when her original teacher returned and she had to say good-bye to the substitute she’d had since Thanksgiving.) and while I didn’t cry as I did that first day, as we walked away from the school, I did swell up for reasons I can’t explain.
It’s been one heck of a year. From struggling to get her placed before school even started to learning of her beloved teacher’s impending maternity leave, sending her daily without the “required” uniform (I’m pretty sure she was the only child not wearing it though the staff had their own standards), struggling through the constant (and often ridiculous) homework, and dealing with injustices and a tough schedule, it has been quite a ride.
I’m still unsure where first grade will take us. I don’t know whether we will return to the same school, switch or embark on a homeschooling journey, but I can say I’m glad we did kindergarten at our neighborhood school.
We’ve all learned so much and she has grown in ways I couldn’t have even imagined. She stands taller, both in physical stature and confidence. We’ve all gained friends that I’m sure will apart of our lives long into the future. And my little girl, only five years old, who almost got moved out of the high achieving class because she wasn’t a “good” reader is now anxiously awaiting grandma to arrive next week with the first chapter books that we will read together (I picked the Kirsten books of the American Girl series, a childhood favorite of mine as well as a nod to my sweet little blondie’s Scandinavian roots).
But I still really look forward to summer and hope that it meets all my expectations (though my “dream” may be a little overly optimistic). While school has benefited Honeybun in many ways, it has created struggles for us and I look forward to spending time together and reclaiming our family!
Wow! That does sound like quite a year! I don’t blame you for considering other schools or forms of schooling. Are you planning to homeschool over the summer? Maybe that would be a good way to test the waters to see if it would work for you? Like do a half day or two per week? I’ve seen some great curriculum out there for very reasonable prices (or you could just design your own). Just a thought…
Jennifer, that is our exact plan (great minds think alike!) We’re going to start working through the 1st grade curriculum and see how we survive then go from there.
Isabella is starting a pre-pre k program in the fall. We recently went for a 30 min trial… I was nervous how she would react in a group setting but she blended right in. in fact, she had a meltdown when it came time to leave. I look at all of these first day/last day of school pictures and it gets me so excited about the development that is going to happen in the upcoming year!
Taryn, it is definitely an exciting but still nerve-wrecking time when your baby goes off to school! In my experience, most kids love school and transition easily (though tears do occur). Even with all my complaining I am still so glad we did this year because she did grow so much especially in the area of reading and I’m not confident that would have happened in another program or at home.