Around this time last year, I was sending my oldest kid off to kindergarten. It wasn’t something I was horribly emotional or stressed about. However, after about two weeks of him entering the imposing 3-story school, I realized this was a big event. He wasn’t adjusting as easily as I originally planned.
My oldest was the one who took every adjustment in stride. End of breastfeeding – no problem. Out of the crib into a convertible bed – easy. Full day preschool – of course. Kindergarten. I thought, done deal. But it took some adjusting. It wasn’t horrible…but required extra attention.
We made it few the first couple of weeks and all of the sudden, he got it. He understood the rhythm, the flow, the procedure. From then on, we were smooth sailing. It was remarkable to see him grow, make new friends, understand the dynamics of school – classes, lunchroom, gym, recess.
As with all parenting, in his new stage, my husband and I learned a new routine as well. I thought I would share a few things I learned during my oldest’s first year in kindergarten.
1. Capture a before and after.
It’s pretty common to take a photo of your kid on the first and last day of school (as shown above). But it’s also important to note other then-and-now-type photographs and activities to mark the year. In my son’s classroom, they had a similar sheet to color on the first and last day of school. This was so much fun to see! While my son’s coloring skills may not be first rate, đŸ˜‰ I do see improvement!
2. Find a homework spot.
It surprised me to learn that in kindergarten, they have homework. I don’t remember having homework in elementary school – let alone in kindergarten – but at my son’s school they have homework every night. The exercises are pretty easy….it’s mainly to get them in the habit of doing some school work in the evening. To reinforce this lesson, we tried to establish a place for my son to do his homework. For most of the year, homework was accomplished on our dining room table. At the end of the year, we received a beautiful, hand-me-down desk which will be perfect for these small school exercises.
3. Kindergarten comes with paperwork.
Oh man!!! I completely underestimated the amount of paperwork we’d receive. At the end of each week of preschool, we would receive a couple of cute pictures our little one painted. In kindergarten, it’s like 3-5 papers a day. I was overwhelmed by the number of items he was bringing home. Having a basket or tray to collect the paperwork each day was a must. At the end of the week, I’d go through and decide what I wanted to keep (for a photo book) and what could be thrown away.
4. Holes in the knees.
I don’t understand why….but being in kindergarten was the first time my son ever had holes in his pants at his knees. Maybe it was gym class or excessive playing during recess. All I know, we never once had a pair of pants with holes at the knees and after kindergarten, it was every single pair.
5. Prepare for school events.
They’re cheesy but also amazing when your kid is involved. School plays, musicals, and performances were so much fun to see. At my son’s school, there were quite a bit of things to attend – all of them amazed me. The songs and dances he learned stuck with him all summer long. During his end of year performance, it took over 75 minutes for me to locate my son but it didn’t matter. I loved that we were participating in his school activity.
6. Prepare to be amazed.
Kindergarten is a foundational year. It’s a time where the teacher lays the groundwork for all future learning. In the fall, routines were adjusted, classes were introduced and sight words were learned then all of the sudden, everything clicked. In the spring, my son just got it. He started reading and understood the whole school dynamic. It was amazing!
Your Turn.
I’d love to hear from you! What advice would you give to moms with new kindergartners? Or what surprised you the most about your kids’ first year of school?
