Senior Kindergarden

Friday was Dexter's first day of Senior Kindergarden. This is his second year of public school. This first day wasn't as emotionally dramatic as Dexter's first day of Junior Kindergarden as all of the true "firsts" had already been done. He's a pro at this "going to school stuff" and pretty much told us that. But Duncan and I made a deal of it anyway: we took him to the bus stop (at the end of our road) and then met him at school. Dexter bounded off the bus and was immediately romping in unison with his friends he hadn't seen all summer. He really didn't notice or seem to care that we were there at all. But I figure he would have noticed if we hadn't been (so I tell myself). Most of the drama was had by Neville who cried gigantic screaming tears as we left him standing on the deck in his underwear with Lewis and the nanny. I had a "flash-forward" in that moment, and saw Neville telling his Psychiatrist the root of his fear of abandonment.

Watching for the bus.

For Junior and Senior Kindergarden, kids on Wolfe Island go to school on "A" days, which are Mondays, Wednesdays and random Fridays. This schedule is memory intensive and screw-up prone. I laminate the sheet that indicates "A" days and semi-permanently fix it to the icebox. Year one: no accidental mix-ups. But I think it's just a matter of time.

This year, I hope that Dex learns to read! This will also be the first year (of many) that he'll have homework. I'm dreading homework. I really don't relish the idea of having yet another thing to nag my children about. I'm hoping that he'll be so excited about school and learning, that he'll just do it without constant reminders. My fingers are crossed!

People keep telling us how once kids get in school the years just fly right by. It's beginning to feel that way. Next year Neville will be in school too. I'm trying to "be" in these moments but they are so full and fleeting. It's hard to catch them.