After watching Connor cling a bit on his first day of school, I wondered if we might see a bit of the same thing this morning when it was time to drop him off for day two, since it was still a new experience and it had been several days since last Thursday. No, apparently not.
Other than the minor meltdown at home, over wanting to take his new Thomas backpack instead of the school one, he was excited and ready to go. This, of course, is Mommy's fault. She probably should have checked with the preschool before getting the new backpack. Although, in all honesty, it was on clearance at Wal-Mart the day before school started, and I just thought it was cute. I thought he could use it either for school or even just as one of his travel bags - he's on the go quite a bit, you know. So, my mistake (and a lesson for all you other first-time preschool moms out there - wait on the bag until you see what the school does). So we compromised, and the bag will ride to and from school in Mommy's truck so he can hold onto it on the way. Perhaps this will end in time, when the newness wears off. Here's hoping . . .
So we get to school just a few minutes before the door opens. He sits patiently in the hallway, looking at the picture board just outside the door and waiting for Miss Julie and Miss Crystal to open it up. We talk about the toys he got to play with last week, and which ones he wants to play with again. And when the door opens, he basically runs in without a backward glance.
I follow, trying to learn the process since I'm also new to the whole preschool thing. We hang up his bag on the hook with his name above it. We (or actually I) pull out his yellow folder (used for correspondence back and forth from home) and place it in the stacking tray with his name on it. Next, we find his name on a laminated card with velcro on the back, and then we attach it to a stop light on the wall. And then, finally, he is allowed to begin free play - the way they begin each day before moving into more structured activities.
As I managed to scan the weekly lesson plan, also posted outside the classroom while we were waiting, I saw a bit more about how they kids spend their day, like beginning with free play. There is also craft / color time, reading circle time, music time, snack time, circle share time (involves a small toy that each child brings every day - Connor's today was, of course, his boat), playground time, bible time (he's in a church preschool), and all that other fun stuff for little people.
My son, after completing our entry duties (the bag, the folder and the name), immediately jumped right down into the floor where a wooden train set was assembled (imagine that). He immediately began hoarding the trains (another shock, I know), but there was only one other student there so far, so I wasn't too alarmed. Miss Julie bent down to say hello and asked him about the trains, which she remembered were his favorite. "I like these!" he told her.
And that's where I left him, happily immersed in his trains and without the least bit of thought or concern for his mother. If I expected a "Bye-bye, see you later!" moment, I was mistaken. I might as well have not been there any more. He appears to be settling in well, and quite over his momentary fear that first day of being left at school.
So I quietly left my big boy to his new adventures.