Back to It

We've officially started the new school year. Today was the big day.

I knew it was a bad idea to outlaw morning TV when I awoke at 6:15 to loud talking, laughter, keyboard playing, chasing, and other indications of general hyperactivity. That's when I realized that TV encourages kids to not only sit on their cans and do nothing, but it keeps them sedate and quiet so others in the household can sleep. Maybe it's not such a bad thing afterall. Jolie came in at 6:45 to ask what her jobs were. The new year hadn't even started and I'd already stopped caring about my newfound ambitious ideals (ideal #2: morning chores).

Once everyone was sufficiently decked out in their new clothes (we had a fashion show last night to determine whether Tristan should wear his white rocker t-shirt or black rocker t-shirt with his black and white plaid shorts); we took the customary photos on the front porch and headed out. It was Jolie's first day at her new school so I was expecting some nervous anticipation. Nothing. She's in a portable classroom which she reports is "awesome". At dinner she clarified that portables don't actually stink like people say they do. She also told Tristan that his lunch tables "rock" (this is the school Tristan has been attending since 3rd grade). They're round and they have individual seats, as opposed to the long rectangular tables at the other school.

Tristan is majoring in being cool this year. Of this I am certain because I just read a questionnaire that he completed today in class:

Question: "What am I proficient at?"
At home: "being cool"
At school: "being cool, history"

Hey, around here we celebrate everyone's talents. I can already tell that fifth grade is the big leagues. Tristan was more excited than anyone for school this morning. He couldn't wait to see the friends he'd been away from all summer. He's been in class with the same group of kids for two years now. I've also noticed a big leap of independence. He didn't have a lot of interest in us walking him to class this morning. I snapped a quick photo of him lining up outside and I could tell he was OK without me (and probably preferred it that way).

And now we come to Gavin. Poor Gavin. Due to some bad information given by a completely incompetent school secretary, Gavin missed his first day of kindergarten. Yes, that's right. The first day of kindergarten: that single day in one's life that mothers take photos of, writers compose essays about, scrapbookers scrapbook about... yes, that day. Long story short, we arrived at 12:45 with backpack, camera, excitement and anticipation. That's when we ran into Gavin's little friend who was coming out of the school and who matter-of-factly announced to Gavin that "he missed it, it's all over." Needless to say, we did not leave with the same excitement and giddy anticipation (but I nearly had someone's head on a platter in their place).

I think Gavin was a little nervous about school, anyway. He wanted to make sure that I was going to be there the whole time (if not in class, in the building). He's also been obsessing about what would happen if he gets on the wrong bus coming home. The kindergarteners don't go back to school until next week, which is probably all good. We'll have a few more days to work through some of this. He's such a young one (turned five two weeks ago). I hope he does OK.