The day came. Our son Garrett, who we had had tested for early entrance into Kindergarten, passed his test and is now (as he says) an OFFICIAL CTA Freedom Falcon. It’s the cutest thing ever, his enthusiasm. He walks into his sister’s elementary school, telling everyone who will listen that it is HIS school now too. And he is not wasting any time charming the teachers. They have all been victims of his big blue batting eyes and contagious smile! So now, all has fallen into place for us… but it didn’t come without some stress.
I was very nervous when we tested Garrett in May. If he didn’t pass, what was next for him? Preschool has been so good for him socially, but academically, he has seemed ready for something more for a while. I waited two pain staking weeks for the results to pour in. It was the most important envelope I’d ever received. Each day I felt the ache in my stomach as I approached the mailbox. What would I tell him if he didn’t make it? Where would we send him next year? I swear, what the heck will I do when we are waiting for college acceptance letters? I was a mess.
Now that I am clear of mind, (well on this subject at least), we are looking ahead to next year. And by next year I mean two months! Holy cow, I have a lot to do, to prepare him for…so here is what happened to me next:
“Eating lunch out of a lunchbox – can he open it himself? The kid loves to eat. Will he have enough time to eat? How will he sit still in a desk all day? Can he be away from me all day? He’s such a Mama’s boy. That’s my fault. Will he remember to go to the bathroom? Will he walk out of the bathroom with his “pants in the air like he just don’t care?” Yes he does this at home. Will he remember to see the nurse for his lactaid before lunch? Because he can’t have dairy. No dairy. Will his teacher feed him ice cream and forget? Will he make friends? Will he follow the rules? He says crap sometimes. You can’t say crap at CTA. Is he going to say crap and then throw me under the bus by saying he learned it from me?”
Anyone else exhausted? Yup me too. Then something magical happened. Garrett came up to me, “mid internal rant” the other day and said, “Mommy, the best part of Kindergarten is a new backpack. A big one. I want Minion, do they have Minion?”
And all felt right with the world. Yes buddy, they have Minion. About a “minion” of them on Amazon. Sigh, it’s only Kindergarten. It’s fun. He’ll learn so much. He won’t be bored. And I will adjust to letting go of my baby, really I will. Until 3:00. Then he’s all mine to smother again.
