What I learned from the first grade (the second time around)

My first grade teacher was Mrs. Adams.   I thought that she was pretty and, therefore, nice.   (What was wrong with me?)  I remember being in awe when my mother and I ran into her at the grocery store one day.  I literally thought that she lived at the school.  That was my perspective when I was six.  A couple of years later, I learned that she lived about one block from me and on the same street.  I even began going into her home when she needed a cat sitter.  Perspectives change quite a bit during the elementary school years.  I'll be interested to watch what changes in my own child's mind as the years go by.

I decided to write this post the week before Jackson entered first grade.  I'm only now getting to the post, but if I don't do it tonight I'll never do it.  He starts second grade in the morning.

1.  Parents are far more worried about who their child's teacher and classmates will be than the child.  The day I got the letter notifying us who Jackson's teacher would be I received more phone calls than I had in weeks.  Everyone wanted to know who was in what class.  I was so sad that Jackson wasn't placed with any of his classmates from kindergarten.  When I told him the bad news he said, "That's too bad.  But I'll see them at recess and I'll make new friends." 

I was also worried that the teacher would label my child as a bad kid because he was active.  It turns out that his teacher was wonderful.  Not only was her name Jane, but her husband's name was Dick.  (Dick and Jane, Get out!)  She understood boys because she has sons of her own and was kind and patient.  She saw my Jackson's great characteristics and seemed far more calm than I could ever have been spending all day with so many children.  She even had a Master's Degree AND her own company.   And, just like Mrs. Adams she was nice AND pretty.  (Jackson wants to go back into her class this year.) 

2.  Going to school all day for the first year, can be a huge transition.  I don't remember having issues with this as a kid, but I must have heard, "I missed you and my brothers" every other day.   (It wasn't as much of a transition for me.  The house was much quieter during nap time.)

3.  Parents and children view the world quite differently.  My father used to leave a note with a rudimentary drawing of a little man looking over a wall in my desk each year after Back to School Night.  I thought I would carry on the tradition, but was surprised when I picked up my sensitive first grader the next day.  He immediately burst into tears and asked why I drew a picture of him with big teeth to make fun of him:

4.  Friends trump the mother.   Jackson was an only child for nearly five years.  Since his brothers were born, things have changed for him...dramatically.  I thought it was about time to spend a little one-on-one time together; just Mommy and Jackson.  I was ready to be considered the coolest mother on the planet.  I hired a babysitter and checked Jackson out of school unannounced.  As we were walking outside, he was eager to know what was happening.  I told him that I was taking him to McDonald's for lunch!  (And, he could even get fries!)  By the time we walked to the car, Jackson was in tears because he just wanted to eat lunch with his friends.  So, we turned around and I checked him back in...not three minutes after I signed him out.

5.  Books do not make great presents for first graders:


(For those of you who are unfamiliar with first grade writing, this note reads:  "Jackson, Mom and Dad.  I love you.  Thank you for the presents but they were mostly books.  Thank you anyway.  Love, Jackson)


6.  First grade isn't quite old enough to win against your mom.  We (the moms) kicked some first grade booty at Mother/Son laser tag.  And it was fun.

(Can you guess how much I love this picture of myself?)

7.  Teachers sure are adored.  I might have bitten off a bit more than I could chew by signing up for too many volunteering activities.  However, I loved being in charge of the students portion of teacher appreciation week.  I asked all of the kids to write cards to three teachers/staff members.  I got to read them all.  Let me tell you (as if you didn't know) that teachers are special.  These are just a few of the cards that were turned in:

8.  There is just so much wonderfulness that is happening in elementary school classrooms.  I often have to choke back tears when I am with the kids.  Maybe it is because my first major in college was elementary education and so I have a special place in my heart for it.  But, I think it is because the children are so eager to learn and so positive and innocent.

9.  There is an amazing amount of development that happens during this year when it comes to reading and writing.  I can finally decipher my sons writing. The times are few and far between, but if you're as lucky as I was you might just get a note that makes all of the breaking up fights with brothers and repeating yourself a million times a day (only to be ignored) worth it:

(Yeah, that says that I am his "buried treasure".)  

What more could I have asked from the first grade?