The girls both started their schools this week. And while I am massively behind on this blog and want to write about Reegan turning 3 (and the awesome Dora cake I made) and our vacations this summer and my little Days of Summer activity list the girls and I undertook...I want to capture this milestone while its still fresh in my mind.
Riley started Kindergarten on Monday (July 23rd) at Chandler Traditional Academy - Freedom Campus. Yes, it is a public school with a private school sounding name. It has a nickname - CTA Freedom. We live in Gilbert but are part of the Chandler, Arizona school district and Chandler follows a modified year round schedule. This means the school year starts in July but they get 2.5 weeks off in October, December and March. They only offer full day Kindergarten - though you can opt to pull your child out after lunch. They teach the core curriculum in the morning. Last year out of 6 classes they had one family who chose that option. I mention this to highlight that it is rare and almost all the kids go full-day. Riley is going to be six in November and has been to two years of preschool and seems like a child who will really love school (socially and academically)...BUT if they offered half-day I would have opted for it. Because I love having her home. And I think kids have plenty of time to go to school all day all week and grow up.
Anyway, as it is, it's not really an option so full-day she goes. While Riley seems like a child who will love school, she doesn't love the unknown. Her preschool class began talking about kindergarten just before Christmas break last December. A full 6-7 months before it would start. Riley began to worry about leaving her friends, having a new teacher, not knowing the "work" to do, not making any friends. The list goes on. As a child (and periodically an adult) I had anxiety. I remember worrying about things happening to me or making people mad. I had a hard time sleeping and I can remember many a nights being paralyzed with fear. I had a reoccurring nightmare that I could detail for you down to what I was wearing in it. I don't remember being Riley's age and how I felt starting school (but I remember my mom being there and the Mickey Mouse bag I had). But this girl can throw me for a loop. I am not always sure how to soothe her soul and put her mind at ease. I wish I could take away all her worries. I wish that I could flip a switch and make her feel carefree and even naive. Despite having worries I remember my youth being mostly carefree, running around all day with the kids in the neighborhood. When we began trying to address Riley's concerns about school I got out a calendar and showed her how many days it was until she would start kindergarten (180+). That night when I was putting her to bed I asked if she felt better now that she knew school was still so far away. She told me "No, because I know when I wake up tomorrow it will be one day closer." Sometimes she just throws me for a loop.
We had a chance to tour the school in the spring and initially we didn't bring Riley. While sometimes seeing it can give her a visual and put some of the unknown to rest, it could also stir up a lot more questions, a lot more unknown. But after her questions and concerns persisted I decided to take her for a tour. On this second tour we got lucky that one of the teachers was in her room and so she talked to us and she was fantastic. She was nice and friendly and the kids desks each had a picture of their family on it...Riley & I loved that personal touch (yes they sit in desks). This did help her feel better but it didn't settle her completely. At Riley's preschool she had been with the same teacher and many of the same friends for two years. Most of those children were going onto the attached elementary together. Riley was picturing her elementary school to be the same with a lot of kids coming in who already knew each other. Over the summer we mostly kept busy and it didn't come up much, but when it did we talked about whatever she was questioning and we focused on all the great things she would learn (Riley loves to learn). And by the time the day arrived this little girl was even EXCITED. Sure, she was a little nervous still (we all were), but she was ready.
I like to celebrate these days, all the days actually. So on Sunday we prepared by picking out her outfit and talking about what we would have for breakfast. After she was in bed I made her lunch with a special heart napkin, a surprise chocolate chip cookie and a note from me that said "I love you." Monday morning we had our pancakes and we gave Riley a special gift, a locket with a picture of Chris and I in it. So we would always be close. The look on Riley's face when she opened that locket is etched in my mind forever. She looked so surprised and happy and loved and excited and it really was a priceless moment. Chris did a good job of taking pictures so you can get an idea. And after the presents (Reegan got a new outfit for her Dora) we took lots of pictures, put on sunscreen, and hugged. By now we were running a bit behind...so the actual drop off was super quick (we were the last kid to arrive)...which probably was for the best. She walked in there with a smile on her face...I could not have asked for more. And when I picked her up on Monday after school I could tell she had really enjoyed herself.
We celebrated with grilled cheese (her choice) and back to school cupcakes (also her choice)! Then we went through all the work she did that day in school. The next day I took Riley to school and instead of taking her to the classroom it was time to start the real drop off process and take her to the Kindergarten playground. Please try to picture this...approx 110 five year olds being dropped off in a small playground. Wow. I was overwhelmed. But Riley did great. She did not cling to me or hesitate in the slightest. She walked into the playground and kind of stood there. I could tell she was a little nervous. I was watching from the other side of the fence and called her over. As I was in the middle of trying to reassure her she saw a swing open up and that kid darted away as if there was a fire...but she got the swing. The rest of the week has gone as well as those first days. By Thursday she was feeling tired and wanting to have more time at home to play with Reegan (and me), but each day on pick up she seems happy and excited. Only one mishap (if you will)...on day 4 of my child's first week of school they had a lockdown drill to teach her what to do "if someone comes into the school to hurt us." Awesome. Riley already has a pretty good imagination and worries about things happening that shock me in a 5 year old. But now they have gone and told her that someone might come into her school ( a place I have been building up as fun and great) and try to hurt her. Really on day 4? There are children who are still crying and clinging for dear life to their parents at drop off...now they are supposed to feel better about this place? I understand the policies and rules and need to feel safe. I am sad that we live in a world where things have happened that cause us to need to do these drills. But I also think it was a little much to do it on day 4 for kindergartners. Despite these horrific attacks, there is still a very small fraction of a chance our children will be in a real lockdown so couldn't it have waited until say week 4?
So Riley came home and it was the first thing she told me (the 2nd was that she made a new friend...so good things happened too). And she wanted to know the plan for what we are going to do if someone comes into our home and wants to hurt us. It really crushes me that my child who already worries is now so aware that there really may be people who want to hurt her or anyone. But we worked through it. I told her that no one was going to come into our home (she, of course, wanted to know how I know). And I also assured her that if the smoke detector goes off she won't sleep through it (because she is recently very concerned about this smoke detector in her room :). And she went to sleep and slept all night and made it off to school for day 5.
Really, I could not be happier with how well her first week of school went and how she is feeling and doing. On day 3 she came home with a book she had made and she had written hearts all over her work...seeing that makes it feel like everything is right with the world.
Ok I had no idea Riley's update would take so long. I have to run now to pick Reegan up from her first day of preschool. All by herself without her big sister. I will write more about her start to school on my next update (and post pictures too).
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