one year: August 23: First Day of Kindergarten

I stayed in bed as long as possible this morning. I just didn't want the day to start. Not because I am sad that my baby is going to kindergarten, but because I feel so guilty that he is not going to get the educational experience that Zoey and Aidan are getting in private school and also because he is not, has not gotten the "mommy time" that the other two did. Aidan left North Broadway after second grade, five years ago. When we pulled him out he had been through a very tough second grade year where he was one of the two smartest kids in a class full of kids with some serious issues going on. He spent a lot of time in the corner working on his own. His teacher was a great person and tried her best, but there was no way to meet Aidan's needs that year. Socially it was tough on him too. He spent a lot of time walking around the playground alone. He liked to dig in the sand but the ladies on yard duty stopped him. I am sure that that was a unique year for Aidan and things will be better for Griffin. At least in kindergarten. The nice thing is that, even though it has been five years, the principal, librarian and some of the teachers remember me from the reading and art volunteer work I did all through Zoey's 6 years there and Aidan's 3. They have welcomed me back very warmly and I look forward to doing a little volunteering. The downside is, now that I work more, Griffin will have to go to after school care which is offered through the YMCA. It is housed in a very shabby little bungalow that sits on the school grounds. The carpet and walls are dingy and dark, the toys are old and dirty. The people who work there are overweight and sweaty and probably underpaid. But that Miss Peggy sure is nice. Gotta give her that. I still feel deeply guilty. That is why I am making a point of spending more time with him - even if it is just watching Avatar: Last Air Bender with him when he asks and I am definitely going to be firm about reading a few books before bed and no more falling asleep in front of the TV.

THE CUBBY!

School starts at 11:00 am and is over at 2:26. Barely enough time to get anything done, really. I guess I could go to a movie if I timed it just right. We spent the morning trying to get Zoey out the door to her overnight Senior retreat. She drove herself to school and Bill is currently riding his bike to La Jolla to retrieve the car. Tomorrow is Z & A's first day of school. Back to waking up at 5:45, packing the lunches, seeing Bill and the big kids off at 6:30, walking the dogs, showering and heading out the door for work by 8:00 am. Maybe later. That school parking lot is a nightmare twice a day, so I really owe it to myself to avoid driving there at drop off and pick up times. The funny thing is that the school is about a block from our house but because of the layout and road that borders our house and the school we have to walk about 5 blocks around the perimeter of the school to get to the entrance. If we just cut a hole in the fence that separated our property from the private road we'd have a short walk to the kindergarten playground. After Zoey left, Griffin, Aidan and I did our own things (watching TV and playing Playmobils, playing a computer game, writing) until my mom (from now on known only as Nonnie) showed up and it was time to walk to school.

Mr Swanson telling the kids to wave goodbye to their parents - without looking back

Griffin's classroom is the same one Aidan had. Aidan's teacher retired this year, but Griffin is lucky enough to have a male teacher with 37 years teaching experience. As Mr Swanson said in his talk with the parents, "I am probably older and more male than you were expecting in a kindergarten teacher." Aidan said that the room seemed so much smaller than he remembered and we forced him to sit in a tiny chair and smile so we could take his picture. Nonnie and Aidan cleared out and I was left with a room full of parents and little kids. Most of the parents were younger than me - or, I should say, the age I was when Zoey started kindergarten. Lots of flame and tribal tattoos on the guys/dads, some more delicate suns and cursive words on the ladies. A handful of Spanish speakers and a translator. One or two people who might be my age. There was a couple, the parents of Oliver, and the mom looked my age - actually thought she might be grandma since the dad looked so young. The dad was this squat, muscular guy who looked a bit like he could be from the Jersey Shore. Little spiky crew cut, aviator sunglasses, gold jewlery, jeans and a t-shirt. Anyway, his kid looked just like him, but was pudgy instead of muscly. I could tell that old Oliver was going to be a firecracker right from the start as he fidgeted on his carpet square while most of the other kids sat quietly. Surprisingly, at least 4 parents and kids rolled in late - one family almost 45 minutes late - on the first day of school. This day parents were also asked to attend a 75 minute informational meeting. Mr Swanson started the day as all kindergarten teachers across America have for years, by reading The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. It's a pretty smarmy book about a raccoon boy and a raccoon mommy and the first night of school - raccoons are nocturnal, remember? Mommy kisses his hand and tells him to place it on his heart and remember her when he feels sad and she will do the same. Old Oliver must have asked when recess was at least 5 times during the 10 minutes it took to read the book. Mr Swanson was always cool with his response, sometimes ignoring the kid, sometimes telling him that it was not for a while and he would let him know.

After the parents were dismissed I took myself over to the library to see Ms Grenig and offer up a big pile of review copies I didn't need anymore. Then I went to the Y, which smelled of Lysol. Miss Peggy greeted me - she remembered us from the beginning of the summer when we checked the place out. I handed over a chunk of money and paperwork and was good to go.

On the playground. That's the camera case on Griff's head.

Despite my misgivings and feelings of guilt, it is pretty cool to have Griff at the same school that his big brother and sister went to. And, in a few years, hopefully, he will move on to the other school his big brother and sister went to. Aidan's 2nd grade teacher, Ms Sheralynne Taylor, is now a kindergarten teacher and teams with Mr Swanson. The morning and afternoon classes overlap by about 30 minutes, but the two teachers are always in the room helping each other out. Mrs Taylor gave me a big smile and a hug when she saw me and then went on and on about what a little duplicate of Aidan Griffin is. We hear this all the time, from the day Griff was born practically. I think that they look pretty different, but I guess I see them often enough to notice that.