They are both in (different) public schools. They are both Track E schools (which start in early August and have longer breaks throughout the year) and they both require uniforms. I am not a fan of uniforms but there is something a bit charming about the white and navy look.
Charlie took the day off of work today to help with school pick-up and drop-off, so the 4 of us piled in to the car at 8:30 this morning and drove the 1.5 miles to Jett's school. Parking was an absolute circus. I know parking is an issue for most schools everywhere, but schools in the city don't have parking lots, so I think it must be even crazier here. Thankfully Charlie could just hop out with Jett, and Kai and I could be on our way.....
...and 6 blocks down the street is Kai's school. By the time I parked (with flashers on, in front of a fire hydrant), Kai and I only had 5 minutes to spare. Thankfully he had stopped crying ("I want Daaaaaaddy to take me to school!") by the time we got out of the car. He put on his big backpack, grabbed my hand, and walked me across the street to school. We made our way through the chaotic playground of older kids and parents, and found the door where the three-year-olds enter. The door was open, kids were inside, so he dropped my hand and walked in. Just like that! I had to ask his assistant teacher to bring him back to me so I could say good-bye and give him his backpack (which I was now holding). Kai dutifully walked back to me, put his arm around my neck, and let me hug him and kiss him. Then I handed him his backpack and he walked back to where he was supposed to sit. He is so CUTE.
Where he was supposed to sit was on this very high bench in front of the drinking fountains. I know you can barely see him in this picture, but if you can make him out, look how small he looks! Three year olds are amazing.
middle of the picture, on bench, white shirt
So all of the kids sit on these benches, organized by classrooms, and wait until it's time to go to class. Their teachers are with them. Parents are not supposed to go in to this room - we say good-bye at the door. The doorway, of course, was crowded with parents taking pictures, peeling off their kids, teachers coaxing children in, big bags of school supplies being handed over....I hovered there for a few minutes and then spent the last few minutes squinting into the room through a dark window. I saw Kai line up with his backpack on and walk out the door with his class, and then he was around the corner and out of sight. I tried to picture which window was his and I couldn't and I felt a little sad. Then I remembered that I had parked in front of a fire hydrant and rushed to move my car.
Charlie dropped Jett off and was walking to Kai's school to meet me, so I walked back to the playground and stood by myself amongst many small groups of parents talking and laughing together. I busied myself with my cell phone and thought about my preschool mom friends and wondered how long it would take to make friends at this school. Then a mom walked over and introduced herself and her three friends and I felt like a puppy waiting for adoption. I hope they come back and buy me tomorrow.
Now Charlie and I are home and the house is wonderfully quiet and it's already 11:00 and the day is going by so fast already and I hope it's going by fast for the boys too and I hope Kai isn't hungry because he barely ate breakfast and I hope Jett isn't sweating because Charlie said his classroom was really warm and I hope they both eat a good lunch and aren't disappointed that I didn't put a cookie in their lunch bags but they only get 20 minutes to eat and I was afraid that if I put dessert in there they'd eat it first and wouldn't have time to eat the healthy stuff and how am I going to make the most of the few hours I have left because I'd sure like to relax and Charlie and I want to go for lunch and I should get some groceries and unpack from the weekend and clean out their toys and organize the closets and look for some freelance editing work and update this blog with a million more posts about the summer and and and but wait. They go to school every day. Every. Day.
Whoever invented school was a genius.
4 comments:
Your morning sounds great! I will call them tonight so they can tell me all about it. :)
pretty adorable how they look so different and yet alike. hope their first days are amazing!
So sweet! Amy and Charlie, your boys are ADORABLE!
Man was that an awesome post. 3yrs old and you go to school??? i know that but am baffled by it at the same time. they're both so cute. (this is tio chris)
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