Kinder-Ventures

This past week has been a fun-filled life changing time. We have entered a new world, one with schedules, packed lunches, homework, bells, recess, and having to be out of the house at the same time everyday. Alarm clock has re-entered my vocabulary. Mornings are spent making lunches, eating breakfast, brushing teeth and cleaning eye boogers all before 8 am. It's a life with winter and spring breaks and summers to look forward to. Where 3 and 4 day weekends are like hitting the lottery. We are now a family with school activities, conferences and field trips. I don't like it, not one bit. Okay, I do. But, I miss Julian while he is gone but the joy he comes home with cannot be replaced.

I had looked into a homeschool program, its a online public charter school. I loved everything they had to offer. I had considered it but didn't get all the information I needed in time. So, I went with my original plan and sent Julian off to school. I thought 6.5 hours was a long time for a 5 year old. There is no longer a half day option and that worried me. I wondered how he would be when he got home. I thought he would want to nap and then would be up all night. I hoped he wouldn't cry when I dropped him off the first day. He said he wouldn't but I still hoped.

That first day we walked in, he found his seat and was thrilled to be there. He looked a little nervous as the room filled up with kids and parents. He told me to take more pictures of him, but then gave goofy smiles or looked away. I soon left, and realized that he is ready for school. There were no tears, at all. From either of us. :) I was proud. On the walk home I wondered how his day would go, I hoped well. I wondered if the next morning he would beg me not to go, cause then he would know how long school is.

I picked him up on the first day and I was met with a happy, smiling, bouncy boy would couldn't stop his mouth from moving. He loved school. When I asked him the best part he couldn't pick one. The rest of the week he was excited to go. He was looking forward to the weekend though, cause he was getting a new wii game. The 3 day weekend came and went and he was happy to get back to school. The new week was met with his new schedule. Music, P.E., Library and Reading groups were all started. This just added to the excitement of school. He has loved it all. He's so very excited to go everyday.

Now, I feel a little silly about all my worrying about him. Today I mentioned that we got the K12 information (finally) and he said "I don't want at home school anymore". He comes home from school ready to do his chores, play his games, see his brother. Bedtime is so easy now too. He's asleep not long after he goes (usually). Life is good, he loves it.

Julian came home one day last week and told me "This boy at my table farted today. Nobody heard him but he said 'I farted' so I said 'excuuuuuse you'. Then the boy finally said 'excuse me'. Then I turned around and my teacher was behind me looking at me and I told her 'what? I gotta tell them what they need to hear'." I couldn't help but chuckle at that one. That's just like my boy .. excuuuuuuuse you.

This week, on Tuesday he came home and told me "This girl at school asked me to be her best friend today." I said "Oh, what did you say?" He said "I told her 'No, I already have a best friend' and that is Carol." Then he went on "so she started guessing all the kids in the class, but she didn't guess Carol." I said "well you can have 2 best friends, one your age and then Carol can be your best best friend" He said "Oh, but I told her no." I told him "Well, tomorrow tell her yes." He said "I can't. I might not recognize her, she won't be wearing the same clothes." I laughed. Wednesday he came home and said "I told her I would be her best friend." I said "That's nice, what is her name?" He said "I don't know, I'll find out tomorrow." Today he said her name is Roxanne (I think, he said Rexie-an or something like that, I would guess he's saying it wrong and it is Roxanne). I do think its cute how she asked him to be her best friend though.