Keep It To Yourself
You may be tempted to voice your eagerness for your child to go to school often during the year leading up to kindergarten. Try not to do that too much. It's great to say positive things about school. You want your child to know that it is safe and teachers are welcoming. What will not be helpful is if you use school as a form of revenge whenever your kid is driving you crazy. Say for example, he's pulling the eyelashes off of his little brother. You may inwardly scream, "I cannot wait for you to go to school already'! But, you should not let that exasperated cry escape your lips. It will come back to haunt you way before Halloween. Don't ask me how I know this and please don't ask my first born son. (The eyelashes never fully unhinged). It is hard not to daydream about how great it will be to have the morning load lightened once school begins. Especially when you find oatmeal in your hair at 3:00 P.M. in the afternoon. Four year olds no longer nap. There's no escape really, until 8:00 P.M. if your lucky.
Over shopping
Kindergartners need clothes, shoes and a backpack for their school debut. That's about it. Try to get a list of what your child is allowed to bring to school before you overspend. Most schools will provide information on that in the mail. Be prepared for younger siblings to be jealous of school shopping that they are not on the receiving end of. It may be easier to shop incognito or alone to avoid more unrest on the home front.
Cling Ons
It may surprise you to find that your now big five year old is starting to become a cling on as day one of school draws nearer. This child that wanted to know everything yesterday and ran off fearless everywhere you went may now be wondering what you will be doing without him. You may have to field questions of that nature. "Will you go to McDonald's when I'm in school"? "How about the zoo, would you go there without me"? "Will you play at the park when I'm gone'? "Will Grandma visit after the bus comes"? "Will you move to another house and I will come home to no one"? "Do you promise to always be outside waiting for me, so I can see you when I come home"? "Are you sure I have to go to school because I think I changed my mind". This is when it gets hard again. When they give you that glimpse of the baby gone by. This is when ferocious fourness is forgotten.
Crying
Most moms will tear up when the bus is in sight. It's natural to feel a tug of emotion. Your child is going somewhere out there without you. Another person will be teaching him or her instead of you. A minor injury at school will be washed and bandaged by other hands. You won't be there to kiss the boo boo. It's okay to cry a little but try to reassure your child that they are happy tears. Remind him or her how proud you are of them. What do you do if they cry? Try not to tell them they're so big and they aren't babies anymore. That won't help. Just ask them what they're afraid of. Take as much time answering their questions patiently until that bus comes. Then grab your camera and wipe up tears, yours and theirs. Kids at that age do not want to be photographed crying. They will suck it up and smile while you take as many shots as humanly possibly before that bus door creaks open.
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