Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Well - my Amy started Kindergarten yesterday.  When I picked her up
    I asked her how it went.  She said "Mom - there are just so many 
    rules in K-garten - we have to stand in line to get on the slide,
    we must line-up to enter the room each day, we must sit in the same
    chair everyday, etc."  I just chuckled - it's rough isn't it?

    My oldest went off to "big school" today for the first time.  He was
    great yesterday - he woke up got dressed and announced to me he was
    ready.  I had to disappoint him and tell him school started on
    Wendesday.
    
    Today I asked if he wanted me to walk him to the bus stop.  He said
    he'd like that.  We got there and he said "Mom, there are a thousand
    people here!"  (Maybe about 30 kids of all ages and parents with every
    type of camera imagineable.)  He just put down his pack and "hungout"
    with the other boys.  When the bus came he climbed on like he's been
    doing it for a lifetime!
    
    Can't wait to get home to hear all about his first day!
    
    -sandy
    

    Well, yesterday was Jeffrey's first day of Kindergarten...When we got
    up yesterday...he bounded out of bed and was raring to go.  When I got
    home I asked him how it went.  He said, "It was ok, but we didn't get
    to play outside."  I tried to tell him that you are there to learn not
    to play on the playground.  Then he turned around with his hands on
    hips and said, "Well, then why do they have that stuff there!!"
    
    I almost most fell on the floor.  My husband said rather smartly, " You
    asked didn't you?"
    
    Today Jeffrey said, " Mom, I've had enough of this school stuff. I
    don't want to go back there today!!"  If he only really knew how great
    it is to be a kid

    Alex has been giving me grief for a week about whether we'll get up 
    in time for her to catch the bus, which will stop at our house at 8:10
    every morning.  It's a legitemate concern, but I've been assuring her
    that we'll rise at the crack of dawn and be out there waiting in plenty
    of time--after all, 8:10 is when the bus *starts* its run, and we're a
    few stops down on the list.
    
    This morning we were out in the driveway at 8:00, and by 8:05 I had the
    camcorder turned on and displaying the date.  I kicked off the
    recording with "and what are we doing out here?", to which Alex replied
    "It's the first day of first grade!"  Just then came a terrific
    VVRRROOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!! and I panned around; to my horror, it was the
    school bus *hurtling past our house* doing about 40mph!  By the time I
    ran to the end of the driveway the bus had disappeared over the hill,
    leaving Alex and me with sinking stomachs and stricken expressions.  I
    had messed up BIG TIME!
    
    Happy ending: in about 2 minutes the bus was back, and the driver
    explained that he does that every day (rockets past, reverses direction
    and catches us on the rebound).
    
    I only hope I caught it all on tape (America's FHVs, here we come!).
    
    Leslie 

    When I came home from work yesterday, my daughter was very excited
    about sharing her first day of school.  She told me every detail; even
    the best part of having "three" recess breaks versus the "one" they got
    in kindergarten.
    
    She also told me some boys flipped her dress up.  She wore shorts under
    her dress today.
    
    
    

    Well, Kyle is a very laid back kind of kid when it comes to telling
    about his world.  I remember his first day of kindergarten, I had to
    drag the information out of him.  Yesterday I gave him the whole dinner
    period to tell me everything.  School was fun - the bus was great "No
    seatbuckles, Mom!  I didn't wear my seatbuckles."  "Did that bother
    you?" I asked.  "Naw, I like no buckles - but only in the bus."  One
    more lesson well learned at home.
    
    He told me about recess (more than in K), about the girl who wouldn't
    listen in class, I asked what he had for snack (half a sandwich and
    some fruit cup) and what he had for lunch (everything else in the
    lunchbox).
    
    Oh, my baby is growing up!  And I can't be there to enjoy every moment
    with him!!!
    
    -sandy
    

	First day of being a FIRST-GRADER !!!!  Boy, when I said that to
	my son as he was getting ready this morning, even though we've
	been talking about it for **weeks**, it still made me stop short !!

	He looked SOOOOO grown up in his school uniform (going to a Catholic
	school) and was so excited but nervous too.  We had a few words 
	about "it's normal to be nervous when you're doing something new"
	and all was fine.

	BUSES !!!  Our's was SUPPOSED to arrive @ 5 minutes of 8, just up
	the street from where we live.  We started out at quarter of (it's
	about a 1 minutes walk) JUST to be safe and what happens....
	here comes the bus already !!  Well, you should have seen this kid
	who's been ** complaining** about running lately SPRINT (:-))
	for the bus !!

	Took almost 45 minutes for the bus to get him to the school (yes,
	I'll admit it, I drove to the school to watch him get off the bus !!!
	After all, he was going on the bus with the public school kids 
	and I wanted to be sure he got to the right place !!!).  When he
	got off, he just kinda waved and blew by me to get with the other kids
	and see if there was anyone there he knew from K last year !!!!

	Can't wait til tonight and hear how the first day went !!!!!  Only
	sad part was that his grandfather isn't here to see/hear it too.

	My goodness, he's a FIRST GRADER !!!!!!!!!!!!  Where did the last
	almost-7 years go ?!?!?!

    My son, Frankie, entered third grade on Wednesday at the Sterling
    Houghton school.  Upon waking up Wednesday morning he said, " you 
    know Mom, third grade is serious stuff?".  I chuckled to myself.  I 
    can't believe he's in the third grade.   Kids grow up so fast!.  
    He loves his teacher and is all exicited about the reading club the 
    class has.  He brought a book home and was actually reading the 
    first school night!  I hope the excitment of reading lasts!
    
    My daughter Sarah started first grade on Thursday at St. Leo's in
    Leominster.  She looked so cute in her uniform.  It brought back
    memories of my parochial school days.  She loves her teacher but
    is not to crazy about lunch.  She informed me that the peanut butter 
    sandwich had no jelly!  Hopefully she'll like the hotdogs on the menu today.
    After school Sarah went to soccer practice, came home and CRASHED!
    By 6:45 she was sleeping with sneakers on and all!  I guess it will
    take a few weeks or so to ajust to a full day of school.  
    
    Wouldn't it be nice if they could stay this age forever?
    
    Best wishes to all for a wonderful school year!! 

    
    My son, Adam started nursery school yesterday.  We got there and he
    didn't want me to leave.  The teachers put out some play dough, some
    building blocks and some paper and scissors.  Once the scissors and
    paper was out he was busy enough that I could leave.  He saw me but, he 
    just kept cutting up the paper.  From what he says he had fun.  There
    is another boy in the class that has the same birthday.  Guess I will
    have to wait till next week to find out if he really like it.
    

re: .8 -- unfortunately, they DO grow up.

Scene in front of our house:

     Neighbor number 1 (first grade).  Wearing a pretty dress and
     a bow in her hair, at the bus stop with her mother.  Mom with
     camera taking a picture of her daughter, standing by the bus.

     Neighbor number 2 (kindergarten).  Also wearing a pretty dress
     and a bow in her hair.  Mother with a camcorder, recording her
     daughter getting on the bus, probably with a tear in her eye.

     Us.  Kid number 1 (sixth grade) Wearing jeans and an Andy Moog
          (hockey player) T-shirt, sneakers not yet tied, backpack
          unzipped, running down the driveway, mom chasing her,
          saying "Wait!  Can I have a kiss?" and getting pretty
          much ignored.

          Kid number 2 (third grade, on different bus) Didn't see
          it, but report was that he "let" mom accompany him to the
          bus stop, but ONLY ONE DAY.  Wearing baggy shorts and a
          T-shirt that was color coordinated with the baggy shorts
          only because mom asked him to change it.

Clay

    
    The only thing I remember about *my* first day of school is that
    the teacher only let us go to the bathroom when she decided it was
    time. So, most of my friends wet their pants.
    
    Now, my son started pre school on Wed. He was so excited about going
    and riding in the little school van. He wanted to make sure he wasn't
    late. I was impressed that he was so concerned about being neat and
    making sure he had everthing.
    
    Guy
    

    My daughter, Sarah, started Kindergarten last week.  Time does
    fly doesn't it.  She goes to the same school as her Nursery School,
    but the program and classroom is different for the "big kids."
    
    When asked what she's going to learn in Kindergarten, she responded
    with her arms spread wide,  "Everything!"
    
    Wonder what she'll learn in first grade 8^)
    
    Diana

    
    
    Matthew started kindergarden last Weds.  On the way home Fri. he says
    to me "You know Mom I've been to school three days now and they still 
    haven't taught me how to read!"
    
    He is so funny.  He's very concerned about his appearance for school
    and could'nt care less at home.  
    
    And yes, I did cry as he walked to join the other children in line.
    It seems the spring of 86 was such a short time ago and now he's
    already in school.
    
    Kathy

    
    
    Yep, time sure does fly ... just sent my oldest daughter off to
    college last week, and I can still remember her first day of nursery
    school and kindergarten like they were yesterday (and all the others
    in between too).
    
    Enjoy 'em while you got 'em,
    Kathy  :-(

    Driving home from the after-school program with Alex yesterday, I had
    the following conversation:
    
    Leslie: So what did you have for lunch?  [The school caf has an a la
            carte menu]
    Alex:   Nachos.  But not the kind with stuff in it [tacos], just the
    	    flat nachos with a kind of sauce.
    L:	    Any meat or vegetables or anything?
    A:	    Just the french fries that came with it.
    L:	    Uh huh... but was there any meat in the sauce, like little
    	    lumps of hamburger or something?
    A:	    No... it was a cheese kind of sauce.
    L:	    Oh....  [grasping at straws here]  Did you have anything else,
    	    like some fruit for dessert?
    A:	    Um... no.  But--[she offered brightly,]
    				I had *chocolate milk*!
   

    Our Joshua, who is quite tall for his age (over 4 ft., barely 6 yrs.
    old), and is told so by everyone, began first grade, lost 2 teeth,
    chnaged classes in Sunday School, all within a 2 week period. He told
    my wife, "I'm getting really grown up, aren't I mommy? Will I be able
    to drive soon?".
    
    How quickly it goes by.......
    
    -dave--