First Day Nerves

Jackson began first grade today. This is the first time that he will have a full day of school. You would think that he would be nervous, but he has been saying that he is not. I, on the other hand, feel those butterflies in my gut. I'm pretty shocked that I'm nervous for him. I cannot ever remember any of my friends feeling this way. Sure, I've heard of people being sad because their child is growing up, but never nervous. I have more information than Jackson does, at this point. I happen to know that he is not in the same class with any of his buddies from last year and being with those friends is the only thing that he was looking forward to about school.

I think that I have figured out why I am feeling this way. When I was in elementary school, I loved it. I loved everything about school and I was good at it. I'm pretty sure the only time I got a grade other than an A from kindergarten through sixth grade was in handwriting. All of the teachers loved me. Toot-toot. (That is me beeping my own horn.) I only got in trouble once in all of the years that I was at Hyattsville Elementary School. I was pretending to tie my shoe in the third grade so that I could keep talking to my friend without being noticed. It was quiet time in the cafeteria and I got busted. Mrs. Bacon made me sit on the stage (with all of the "bad" kids.) I was so embarrassed and sad. I probably looked like I was going to cry and she said, "Don't turn on the water works." My principal came by as we lined up to go to where ever the bad kids go instead of recess. Mr. Stoffa was SO tall. From my puny viewpoint he seemed like a giant. I loved him, though. (On St. Patrick's day he wore a tuxedo with tails that was completely green.) Anyway, he saw me in that line and told Mrs. Bacon to let me go. "She's a good one", he said. (It is amazing how vivid that memory is because I don't remember very much from back then. I guess it really made an impact.)

My worry for Jackson is mostly because he is a boy. I have only two sisters, no brothers. My experience with the other half of the population has been fairly limited. Before I had boys, I thought they were just...crazy. Well, I still think they are. I thought that most of their stereotypical male behavior was just because they were behaving badly. Now, after becoming very well acquainted with the male gender, I realize that these alien creatures are just different. They are louder, they are WAY more active and they think gross things are quite interesting (i.e. insects or beating each other) or just plain hilarious (i.e. making your underarm toot). Here is my calm first grader ready to go to school and see his friends. (He didn't ride the scooter to school, he just wanted it in the picture. We have to drive now that we have moved.)



My hope is that Jackson's teacher has boys of her own and that she won't label this normal male behavior as "bad" the way I may have before I became immersed in it. Barrington and I had a long talk with Jackson last night about being nice to other kids and being appropriate at school. Barrington also gave him a father's blessing.


Ultimately, I know Jackson will do well. He seems to be well liked. True, he can be VERY active, loud and precocious, but he is a pretty nice six year old. He can be very sensitive to others. He is polite. He needs to get back to school because he is just plain bored at home and as he learns he will be greatly excited and feel like he is accomplishing something.

He changed his tune as we entered the parking lot and saw massive amounts of cars parked everywhere, even on the grass. It really was a scene. There were even parents who let their kids ride the bus and then drove to the school to wait, cameras in hand, taking pictures as the kids exited. When I asked him if he was nervous he said, "no". But by the time we got to the corner he had progressed from that to, "I am freaked out, terrified AND think I'm going to throw up!" Here he is waiting in Mrs. Held's classroom. Note how the expression has changed.



Luke also started preschool for the first time today. A friend from church who stays at home with her kids and has a degree in early childhood education decided to do a little school at her home for six of the kids from church. Luke already knows the kids from the nursery at church and for the price, I really couldn't say no. Having a couple of hours with just Grant will be nice and just might help me to stay sane. Luke is such a cutie. He only cried twice at school today and walked right out pulling his new Car's backpack all the way to the car.





Daddy was nice enough to take some pictures before he left for work. He didn't have time to be in one himself, though. (He thinks that it is SO important to be to court on time, go figure.)



Grant didn't start school today, but he was thrilled to check out all of the action.