I have a soon to be four year daughter that will be attending full blown pre-school in a couple of short weeks. This is bothering me just a bit. You would think that with a son graduating high school next year and a daughter entering the eighth grade I’d have a handle on the fact that children do indeed grow up, but I don’t. Truth be told, I hate it. The growing up part that is.
My little girl has been attending a daycare a couple of days a week for a couple hours as a bit of a primer, a beginner course in socialization if you will. She blossomed during these brief excursions from home and wooed her teachers with her wonderful imagination and motherly instinct toward the other kids. At the end of the day this was still just a daycare that added some pre-school emphasis a couple of days a week. The school she will be attending, yeah, this is a full fledged big kid school.
A couple of weeks ago I took the girl, and her little sister, to the school playground to get familiar with the area. It turns out we were going to be on vacation during the scheduled orientation day so this introduction was going to have to do. My plan was to spend some time with the girls playing in the playground and walking around the school, peeking in windows and encouraging questions.
In retrospect, it was not the best idea to visit the school weeks before the doors open. The girls didn’t mind at all but it settled on my shoulders in an odd way. The playground equipment had a layer of dust on it from lack of use and the grounds were unkept with dead yellowing grass spilling from cracks in the blacktop. The playground seemed vast and the girls so small. The playground is behind the school and hidden from the road by the schools L shape. I sat in one corner and considered how the grounds looked and felt a little like the exercise yard in a prison.
I’ve mentioned before the active and sometimes dark imagination of the girl. Is it any wonder where she gets it?
The girls had fun playing and when it came time to to peruse the grounds there were very few questions. It seems the girl is fine with this transition and most excited with the idea of becoming a “big kid”. She is looking forward to meeting new friends and learning new things. She’ll be attending for three days instead of two and an hour or so longer each day. The structure is what will bring about the largest difference, yet I’m confident that even this she will handle with aplomb.
Yes, ready she is and ready I shall be, or I’ll at least play the part pretty well.
To think, I get to do this at least two more times in the next four years. I imagine the gray in my beard may outnumber the black by that time. No worries, I’ve earned each and every one of them.
Gray in the beard is compensation? Man, I’m getting RICH!!
It is amazing how much more resilient the children are than us. They’ll be fine. Us–I’m not so sure.
Ed (zoesdad)s last blog post..Sunday Sonnets—-Thanks, John
Yeah, I’m a pretty wealthy man too by that definition. Oh, but to gain some of that resiliency.
never thought that fathers can be this caring and involved… in our country, it is the mothers who are more like this. though i believe that the ‘tough facade’ of the fathers here is a way of protecting themselves from hurt and pain.
you are one loving father.
bingskees last blog post..Blackhead Treatment
Thanks bingskee. I think those that put up the tough facade are sometimes trying to protect as you mention, regardless of country. Nice to hear from you.
I feel your pain, man. My daughter started pre-K last week, and I don’t have the benefit of the experience you have with your older children. I’m sure it will all be fine, but it really doesn’t make it any easier. I came home and settled down after the hustle and bustle of dropping her off for the first time and the house felt so quiet. Only then did it truly set in that the years we enjoyed so much with my daughter playing at home with us almost ever day were gone forever. Its a milestone moment, but a bittersweet one at best.
matts last blog post..RedSparks Labor Day Giveaway!!!
Yep, bittersweet is just about perfect.
My oldest.. soon to be four next month just started Pre-K today. The pre-k program is in the same place that he has gone to daycare for the past three years.. yet, me dropping him off in a brand new classroom.. actually the last classroom he will attend in the school got me all choked up. I was so sad because here he was eager to be in the “big boy” room and I was all teary eyed because it feels like only yesterday I craddled him in my arms as an infant.
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I remember those days. My daughter is now 23 and my son 14. Time goes by so fast!! I look forward to hearing about the first day! It sounds like she may do better than dad! LOL!
Well being a first time mom and my son will be 3 in Dec. I am already dreading the whole school thing. I can’t stop myself from wondering how I will be or react and it is not even here for us yet.
As far as gray, well I started buying the industrial size hair dye a while ago.
Lauries last blog post..One Heck Of A Slide Ride
It sounds so cliche to say, but it’s so very real and true: you look at your kids and ask yourself “what happened to my little baby?” They grow up so fast, but just a little bit every day, so you don’t notice until you have a chance to catch your breath and really take a look at them.
what they need from us is reassurance that growing up is a good thing, and that we’ll be there to help them through the changes.
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