Back to School!

I've been saying it for a long time, but our family evaluates each child, each year and prays about where they should be schooled. This year, all three big kiddos are attending public school! That's a simple statement, but it's complex thing. God has things He wants to accomplish in each one of my children, in me, in our home, and plenty of mysteries abound as to how this will be used to glorify our Maker. But, just knowing He has directed this course brings peace, and confidence, and comfort. It's going to be an exciting year!

Lael is entering Kindergarten. Dean is starting the 2nd grade. And Grant is going into 5th grade. K and 2nd are in the same school, and Grant is in an "intermediate" school for 5th and 6th graders.

The tears and reflections that come with sending your "baby" (they're all my babies- not just my youngest!) off to kindergarten feels multiplied by the fact that I really feel like I'm sending THREE kids off this year. It is Dean's first experience with "real school" (having homeschooled the past 2 years), Lael's first experience with school at all (though she did amazingly well with the lessons I did with the boys these past two years!), and Grant's first time back in school after two years as a homeschooler. For him, the transition is probably the hardest.

The intermediate school operates much like a middle school: lockers, periods with different teachers, band, foreign language, stricter dress code (though no uniforms yet!) and higher expectations for personal responsibility (they record their own assignments in a planner, and very little communication comes directly from teacher to parent). I see some intense growing headed our way!

School- for the boys- started 2 weeks ago. Dean was thrilled; he's been practically begging to go to the school that most of the neighborhood friends go to. Grant, was trusting of our decision (though he made it clear he still wanted to homeschool!), but hesitant. We've now had parent orientation nights, some homework, some tests, and some challenges. Give it another month and maybe I'll have a better routine- right now this feels like MORE work than homeschooling!

Lael's first full day of kindergarten is today. She went last week for an hour to test, and went Monday for a mostly-full-day with 4 other students and her teacher (to warm them up). All along, she has been excited, confident, and READY. So ready, in fact, that she's been a bit miffed that kindergarteners had a delayed start! The look on her face in this picture does not say, "I'm frightened" or "I'm nervous"- it says, "I'm impatient! I want to Do. This. Already. And I'm going to Rock It." Eric and I drove her to school, and walked her into the gym where the kids line up until the start of class. I expected to wait with her and walk along to her classroom. Nope. We stood there a bit, and then I asked her if she wanted me to walk her to class. "No, you can go". If we didn't know better, it might even seem that she was embarrassed of us. She's too young for that; Eric and I both agreed that she was just ready to get on with the day and didn't see a purpose of us hanging around. And she was wise, and fine, and so I left her there in line with her new friends, walked out, and turned back one last time to look at her. But she most certainly wasn't concerned with me and had already turned to wave to a girl she met on Monday in class. I felt the burning sting as tears welled up in my eyes and my other daughter, observing it all from my hip, said, "Oh! Water!" as she tried to pinch the droplets off my cheeks.

Eric and I hugged and he drove off to work while I stayed for the "Boo Hoo Breakfast" organized by the school for the parents of entering kindergarteners. A great big spread was in the library and a bunch of us moms chatted and talked of our kids. I almost didn't go because I wasn't sure I wanted to be amongst a crowd of strangers while images of a newborn Lael raced through my mind (where did the time go?!). In the end, it was a good distraction, and I met a few other moms of older kids who are navigating the intermediate school this year also.

I can't wait to hear how Lael's day went!

Dean, as I said, began 2 weeks ago. He got a fantastic teacher, and was also very, very eager to begin school. So eager, that while I hoped and expected to walk him into class on the first day, he simply wanted to be dropped off in the car line! What?! I wasn't ready for that! A few cars in front of me allowed us the time to banter back and forth a few times, "Dean, are you sure I can't walk you in?" "Yes." "Don't you want me to park and come in with you?" "No." "You sure?" "Yes." With a smile on his face, and a confident strut, he marched into the building on his own and I drove away. *sniff* Not how I expected, but isn't that so much better than him being afraid. God's peace, given as a gift to us, is further proof of His mercy and love.

He is asked often by our neighbors and friends how school is going, and he always responds, "Great!". He truly loves it. And his teacher loves him, too. She said he is sweet (we know), and caring (we know), and always willing to give a hug (we know!). Monday, when I dropped of Lael for her half day, I snuck over to Dean's hallway and peered in the door window. He didn't see me, but I guess his teacher did. Later, she shared with me that she asked Dean if he wanted to step into the hall to say hello. Apparently, he said very genuinely, "No. I don't want to miss anything that happens in this classroom." :-)

Grant. I'm so proud of Grant. No matter the setting (private, public, homeschool), he is our child that doesn't love school. But, he knows it needs to happen, and has learned to cope better as each year passes. Out of all my kids, he has developed the most logic- when he doesn't like something, and he knows he must do it, he is the first to just "man up" and get the task done. So, in a sense, he is "manning up" and going to school. He'd much rather do homeschool (which he recognizes is more efficient), but he knows this is what we're doing this year. He is rising to the occasion and trying his very best.

On his very first day, he responsibly set an alarm and got up earlier than I even told him he had to. Without being asked, he did his morning chores and got ready for the day. He may have been slightly nervous, but he didn't let it show much. Eric drove him to school on his way to work and Grant asked him to walk him in. They have a similar "holding" routine to Lael and Dean's school, where the kids are kept in the gym before classes begin. So, Eric stayed with him for a time and then left when it was time for the incoming 5th graders to get the tour and learn where their classes were.

The basics of changing classes, keeping certain items in the locker, writing down assignments in a planner.... all of that... is the overwhelming part for him. And me. I'm overwhelmed a bit at the thought of my 10 year old suddenly being responsible for so much at once and being treated like a mini adult. But, it is good. He may falter a bit for the next month while he learns the ropes (he has forgotten 2 assignments so far, and also left something he needed in his locker one night). However, it seems that I must let him. The end result will be good even if the process is a bit painful at times.

John 14:27 (New International Version)

²⁷Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.