I’m saying goodbye to kindergarten as my last baby finished his kindergarten year. With summer coming to an end soon I realize how much I will miss kindergarten.
Kindergarten is a new beginning. It’s the first foray into school life with so many new adventures. It’s exciting to finally go to a big school with the big kids and ride the big bus. My youngest watched his two older brothers ride the bus for years. He’d wave to the bus as it drove away from the bus stop and left him behind watching and waiting. He waited for his turn to get on that glorious bus. He was so proud when he too got on that bus and was no longer the one the bus left behind. As mom, I was the only one left behind at the bus stop.
In less than a month he will start first grade. I’m saying a bittersweet goodbye to kindergarten as our family transitions to all school aged kids.
I’m saying goodbye to volunteering weekly to help kids learn to count and recognize letters and letter sounds. I’m saying goodbye to helping with shape recognition and fire station field trips. I’m saying goodbye to seeing the kids do morning calendar and weather. I’m saying goodbye to watching kindergartners singing while dotted about the letters on a giant colorful rug. Goodbye to a toy plastic slide in the classroom and class plays. Goodbye to a room full of toys as first grade is about more serious stuff. They have real desks.
I guess it’s a sign I’m moving into a new stage of motherhood which is exciting. But I will miss that young wide-eyed innocence of kindergartners. Their enthusiasm for even simple events like eating in the lunchroom is refreshing. Kids of kindergarten age feel joy for everything so strong it seems to just burst out of them.
I know what to expect because my older two have paved their way through the grades ahead of my youngest. The older grades do fun things too and special learning projects, but there is just something extra special about kindergarten. The kindergarten year is innocent, joyful, and decorated with play even though the learning requirements for kids in kindergarten are now higher than in the past.
I make my boys scrapbooks for each school year. I’m quite behind as I haven’t even started this past year’s books, but I know I will have plenty of time someday to preserve their memories. Memories to put in the books like six-year-old hand prints made into flowers and a paper bearded hat that made him a leprechaun. The large scribbled handwriting of his name that became compact and neat by the end of the year. The sweet crayon colored art work I taped on the doors still is on display. I’m leaving it until first grade masterpieces will take its place; then I will archive it to the book.
My older kids make fewer and fewer masterpieces now to hang up so I leave up some of their kindergarten artwork up. My laundry room is plastered with art my kids have made over the years. My husband teases me as art has completely taken over all the walls. But I relish my art gallery laundry room. I want my messy art shrine to my kids’ young artist selves because I know soon the art will stop coming home.
I had tears for the first time at kindergarten orientation when my youngest went through it because I knew it was my last. With the first two I had joy at orientation without any inkling of bittersweet sadness. I had tears when his class did their plays and I hung on every word knowing I wouldn’t be a kindergarten mom ever again.
It’s not that I don’t find joy in the other events in the older grades, I do find joy there, it’s just different, it’s not kindergarten.
[ctt template=”8″ link=”R6bAl” via=”yes” nofollow=”yes”]Kindergarten teachers make learning glittery for kids with play mixed in @JulieAnnHoag[/ctt]
I think kindergarten teachers are a special breed. They hold a special heart string of mine as they teach the babies of the school kids. They allow access of their hearts freely. They make days special and blend play and learning together in a magical world for these kids. These teachers make learning glittery for the young kids with the play mixed in. Kindergarten teachers soak these kids with self-esteem and help them learn to be capable school-aged children.
As the summer is coming to an end, it’s official that my family’s kindergarten phase is over. First grade is looming ahead. My son is now so proud he will be with the older kids and no longer be a kindergartner. As a parent it is fun to see how each stage brings a new phase of being proud for kids. He is excited to find out who is new teacher will be, a new beginning is coming this fall. I guess I’m ready for the next phase of my life. I’m going to welcome it and revel in this next level too.
I’m a lucky mama who misses her kindergarten, but that’s ok. There are so many adventures and joys to cherish ahead. Mamas, I’m forging onward.
For more Mom life stories, check out this link. http://www.simplyevery.com/2016/08/mom-life-mondays-blog-link-1/
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