I’ll be jumping around quite a bit the next couple of weeks as I post the rest of our summer adventures but for the the sake of the grandparents, today was the first day back at school!
We started out with a special breakfast of pancakes with fresh raspberries and fruit smoothies. For special occasions, I always bring out our “You Are Special Today” plate. Starting kindergarten at a new school trumps entering second grade so Bode got the plate. In the sweetest little voice, he queried, “Am I special today, Mommy?”
You’d better believe, it Buddy.
But so is this gorgeous girl.
Haddie’s outfit is courtesy of a shopping spree with Grandma B. in Canada. Bode’s ensemble is thanks to Grandma J.
It was my best back-to-school shopping year ever.
I’m thrilled both kids scored the best teachers at the school. Haddie already adored hers and many of her closest friends are in her class. But the greatest news of all? Their class pet is a hamster! As in a real one! At back-to-school night, her teacher had a sign-up sheet for kids to take Gracie the hamster home every weekend for an entire month! Imagine the excitement!
That is one thing I conveniently forgot to volunteer for at back-to-school night.
Entering kindergarten is a big milestone but for some reason, I wasn’t overly sentimental about it. This is likely because Bode will only be in class for 2.5 hours a day, less time than preschool. Next year when he’s in school full-time will be a bigger adjustment for us all.
Bode is a pretty go-with-the-flow kind of kid and though he’s initially a bit reserved, he has no problems making friends. However, I have sensed some deep-rooted anxieties about kindergarten because he doesn’t know anyone.
Let me scratch that: he doesn’t know any boys.
We have two girls from church who are in his kindergarten class but in Bode’s world, they don’t count. I first realized he was anti-girls when we were at Coscto’s food court a couple of years ago. A few darling girls from his preschool came over and I kid you not–they fawned all over him. Bode was mortified and didn’t even look up from eating his hot dog despite my many pleas to be social.
After they left, I asked him why he wasn’t friendly and he excused his behavior with, “I was hungry,” which is boy-code for “I don’t like girls.
Problem is, girls really like him because he’s cute, thoughtful and nice.
Of course, that will all change in a few years when they start going for the bad boys. Sadly, Bode doesn’t realize these are his years to capitalize on their affections.
There are three kindergarten classes at Bode’s school: the morning class (his), the afternoon class and an all-day class. Knowing his apprehension about making friends, I took him to a kindergarten playdate on Saturday so he could mingle with his peeps. Problem was we couldn’t find even one boy in his class so he buddied up with an all-day kindergartener.
Who was, of course, a boy.
This morning, Jamie and I arrived at the school early with the kids. Bode’s classroom is in the 2nd grade area so Hadley will be right next door. The kindergarteners were required to line-up against the wall before going in. At first he looked pretty chill until a girl arrived. And then another girl. Then more girls. I kid you not–at one point, there were eight girls and just Bode.
Basically, it was his worst nightmare.
A few token boys arrived later but that didn’t dispel his anxieties when saying good-bye.
The 2.5 hours flew by but when I picked him up, he was a different kid. He enthusiastically rambled on about the class rules (don’t know who gets excited about that), why kindergarten is better than preschool (they have a library) and that he made a friend (Trey).
He also had a couple of boys who will assuredly become his BFFs because they complimented him on his backpack.
Mario: The great bonder for boys everywhere.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 