School Days!

The girls started preschool this week. A couple years ago, I was totally against preschool. I didn't go to preschool, I didn't even go to kindergarten & I was able to figure out how to go to school when I started grade 1! Who needs preschool really? They're too little to start school, why start early? they'll go to school for 16 years probably, if you add in two years of preschool, they'll be tired of school before they even start! and another biggie: I'm not PAYING for that!!!!

Welllllllll, I started finding it harder & harder to plan and carry out activities. There's enough to do around here through the day that by the time they go to bed, I'm not interested in doing more work & research at night on what to do the next day. So we've done a lot of outdoor walks & playing with Tulip down the road, playdates etc but very few crafts or writing activities.

From talking to other MOMs in this area, I'd heard that the elementary school that the girls will be going to believes in separating all multiples when they start school. Other parents have met with the principal, written letters to the school, the school board etc to ask that the kids be kept together for kindergarten only to have all that ignored & the kids split up anyway. I'm sure they all lived & coped but I thought that this year of preschool would be a good way to work some of the kinks out before this stuff actually counts. They can get used to a changing schedule, multiple activities etc.

I know this probably sounds like we have completely sheltered these kids, but we have never taken them somewhere & left them there. (except grandparents, and if that ain't Coddletown, I don't know what is!). So I had no idea how things would go Monday morning when I announced I was leaving.

They've always done better when we run through what's going to happen, what to expect etc. I started talking about preschool a few weeks ago and they were ok with it. I mentioned that it's for kids and parents don't go. Still ok with it. They knew they'd all be there & that they'd be going with Boo so that was all fine & dandy. I still wasn't 100% sure that I wouldnt' have trouble extracting myself when the time came though. I half expected to have at least one leg clinger screaming their head off. I had geared myself up to be ready to scrape them off & walk out & ignore the brainscalding screaming that was sure to come.


None of this was necessary! I took them in & they started playing with stuff right away. Boo got there a few minutes after we did and they all got to work doing some colouring and not the least bit anxious. After awhile I noticed most of the parents had left & I decided I'd better get out of there or I'd look like one of those over anxious parents who just can't bear to be away from their kids and want to go to preschool with them (*giggle*)

They were all in different parts of the gym so I went over to each one & told them I was going & would pick them up in a little while. Every single one of them kept right on playing and said "ok". No drama, no tears, not even from me! I exited without a scene and had 2 whole hours to myself! Although, I had 18 pages of questionnaires to fill out for the registration so I didn't really get to do anything exciting.

Boo was totally ready for this! They were barely in the gym when she turned to Teena and said "it's ok Mom, you can GO now" Teena told her it was fine, she'd just stay and make sure she was comfortable before she left. Boo told her she was already comfortable and that she could leave. Teena put her foot down & said "well, I'm staying until I'M comfortable!!!" Not even 4 years old and embarrassed to be seen with her mom!

Honey thought I should have my picture taken on the first day of school too. She's getting much better at holding that heavy camera!
I picked them up and all had gone well, no upsets and they had pictures to show me, had learned a new song and everything! So far so good!