Now, here’s a boy who’s ready for his first day of school
Jim woke him up & carried him out to the couch. We all cuddled for a bit, then he got up & started looking around. He said, ‘I can’t find my backpack’. I told him it was on the doorknob to the basement. He went & got it & put it on even though he was still in his pajamas. Wore it all through breakfast, which he didn’t eat much of because he said he was too excited about school.
We got dressed & Shelby said ‘Goodbye’ to Annie, Jim & Charlie. Jim said something like, “Look at our big boy all ready for school. I never would have imagined this day back when I applied for that job.” (Referring to the fact that we met at work, when I hired him to work in my department). Talking Heads said it well - “I love the passing of time”
When I went to drop him off, he was asking me if they were going to learn about science today (because the teacher had mentioned a science unit when she was talking to the parents on Wednesday). He also asked me if they were going to learn to count to 100 today (again, something his teacher had mentioned on Wednesday). I told him that they were going to learn to count to 1, today. Then, the next day, they’d count to 2. Then 3. And, add another number every school day. He laughed, “We’re going to learn to count to 1, today? That’s going to be easy!”.
I let him play on the playground for a few minutes, then the bell rang. He didn’t hear the bell because he wasn’t listening for it. All the kids went running to get in line & he was still hanging out on the playground equipment until I walked over & got him. We got in line & waited with the other kids, then I walked in with him.
The teacher was telling all the kids to find their name on a table & sit in that chair. And, she was telling all the moms & dads to leave once their child was sitting. He sat at his seat & I gave him a kiss. Then, I walked over to the teacher & gave her his snacks (Each kid was supposed to bring a box of crackers to share. We had already talked to her about his allergy & she said to bring him a box of something safe for him, labelled with his name & he would only eat from his box). I tried to get her attention & remind her of his allergy, but she didn’t seem to want to chat with any parents - was more concerned (and, rightfully so) with gaining control of the 29 kids in the room. I’ll trust Shelby to make sure he gets food that’s safe for him by reminding her that he can only have *his* snacks.
I took one more picture of him waving to me from his table, then heeded the teacher’s directions & left the room.
A bunch of us mom’s & dad’s stood on the sidewalk outside the classroom looking in. I know that I was crying. I didn’t look at the other mom’s & dad’s, because I knew that would get me started crying more.
Shelby was sitting at his table. Two other boys had sat on either side of him (Shelby was at the end of the table). I wish that I had looked at the names on the tables beside his, so that I’d know those boys names. The other boys were goofing around a bit. Shelby was just sitting there, looking around, trying to pay attention to anything the teacher said, trying to make sure he was doing what he was supposed to be doing.
I can’t wait to hear how the rest of his day went.
