Tag Archives: dropping off kids at school

Preschool Post Script

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I need to pick up the thread of a few earlier postings. Particularly ones where I got such supportive and helpful feedback from you all.

Well, last week was the first full week of no crying when I left Vivien at school. I stay about five minutes, give her a two-minute warning, and she says “bye” with no problem. When I pick her up at noon she is always having fun and no longer anxious to leave. If the kids remaining weren’t about to go to nap time she would stay longer.

(This picture did not capture her with a happy face, but really, she was happy to be going to school.)

We’ve had two playdates, with two of the kids from school. I really like the parents there. I was afraid I wouldn’t like the parents, because sometimes playgroups have not yielded the bosom buddies I had hoped for, but we seem to be of a similar food group. A group of women who had careers and scaled back a bit for motherhood, and are not 20. I would hate to be the oldest mom in the crowd. The dads are cool too, but just like when I was a kid in school, I’m always more focused on making girlfriends.

Anyway, for anyone about to go through sending your kid to school for the first time, you can get through it! Now, I have to remind myself that I can get through it as I conquer my next hurdles; potty training, followed by no bottle at bed time, and finally not staying with Vivien as she falls asleep. Ugh. I’m already overwhelmed.

First Days at Preschool

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Yes, the first week of preschool is upon us. I was sure I would be bawling, and a friend of mine was sure she would be fine. But, it’s flipped. Partly because Vivien wouldn’t allow us to leave yet. This is the “transition week,” so I’m still daydreaming about free mornings.

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Creative Commons License photo credit: vitroids

Mark took her the first two days, since I was working, so I took her today. When she was jumping in my lap during story time, I tried to at least ease her on the rug in front of me to create some space. She did leave me for a while when buckets of toys were introduced. Also, we took the bus to school, which was a big hit, and ate Mexican food for lunch nearby, which made us both smile.

But come Monday, Mark and I will hang out for a bit and then try to bail to go to work. Mark says a friend told him to make it a game when we leave her at school on Monday. That the kid should push us out the door, with us saying, “Come on, push Mommy out the door!”

That might work for a more aggressive, independent kid. Not sure. But I’m just trying to sack up for leaving while she is crying. It’s not like I’m leaving her at a Russian orphanage, right? Moms that have gone through this already, do you have any strategies?