Wednesday 27 June 2012

The Last Day


Today is the last day of a difficult year, our son has officially graduated from Junior Kindergarten and moves up to Senior come September.

Most things do not always go as planned, and it seems that this will be the theme for today. When our son started JK in September 2011 we were nervous, but felt prepared. After all, we had sent him to "pretend school" (a program where kids spend an hour away from their parents once a week) and it may have taken him until the very last class to be comfortable, but he did well.

So the first day of school comes and I'm on my own, seven months pregnant with our 4 (Kairan) year old and 3 year old at my side. I behave enthusiastically and walk with confidence up to the mass of children running around on the playground. Inside, my stomach does flips and every nerve is tense. I could not wrap my mind around how many children were there, and I seriously wanted to grab my son by the hand and run away to the safety of our home. But I stayed strong, and so did he. Kairan was so overwhelmed that when the bell rang, he got in line, looked really dazed and followed the herd. He had no idea what was going on and didn't even notice that I wasn't there beside him! My heart broke, and I cried on the short five minute walk to our front door.

I could not contain my excitement when it came time to pick him up from school that day. Having no idea what to expect, his sister and I waited anxiously for the kids to start coming out of the ominous building before us. He wasn't the first class to come out, which made me nervous and a little bit bummed, but then there he was! It was so hard to not pummel him with question after question about his day. Happily I said "Hi, honey! How was your first day of school?" and in a monotone, bored way said .."It is hot, can we go home please." The next few days were not so easy, once Kairan knew what to expect.


From that day on it was one challenge to another. He cried every day at lunch time from September until February, anytime the teacher left the room. Kairan was not making any friends, he still would not eat any of his lunch, and was often bullied. Talking to his teacher did not do any good. Finally though, february came and he had friends to invite to his birthday party! But once the crying stopped, the friends were made, and his 5th birthday had passed, he started to have accidents both in school and out.

In honour of Kairan's first year of school completed, and obstacles overcome, we made something we have never really had before (twice for me, and once for hubby, not at all for the kids). We made SUSHI. And it took all day long. The plan was to make a smorgus board of picnic foods and take them down the river for a picnic with the ducks and play at the park. When lunch time came and I had only just started to prep the rice for sushi, and our seven month old was still all about the snuggles, I realized that today might go a little bit differently. And it did, the rain came, so we had our picnic in the living room.


Now, the first of school completed and celebrated, we await to go through it all over again with Rhylie come September. And I'm sure, with obstacles overcome and friends to get squirrely with, Kairan is also looking forward to school next year. We can not wait to see what September brings for our family. <3




1 comment:

  1. He's looking forward to it?! I am so glad. I also can't believe how much he has grown over the last year, not only physically but socially and emotionally! He's a brave little guy! <3

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