Kindergarten

C and D started kindergarten today.

Yesterday we rode the bus with them and then spent an hour in the classrooms with them.  I went with C. C's teachers are Doug and Trey.  Doug is a legend...we call him the "kid whisperer" and he is known for bringing is dog to school once a week (studies show it is easier for kids learning to read to read to dogs than people--yes, yes they do!), for turning Beatles and Stone songs into songs the kids sing for each letter of the week, and for telling great stories, often with puppets.  Trey is the assistant and he is really kind (and cute, I might add).  Doug told a story that enthralled the parents and the kids.

But I couldn't pay any attention.  I was too busy aching for C.  Because for the 10 minutes before Doug told the story he had asked questions, and C raised her hand first for every one.  She got one answer wrong and she was so mad at herself.  And I just ached, because all of a sudden I realized she was me.  I was sitting next to a much kinder, slightly less secure me.  And I wanted to hug her and tell her that it was great she was so eager to learn, not to listen to other kids when she hit middle school age and they called her a teacher's pet,  that she didn't have to get everything right, she just needed to work hard, that she should try to give others a chance to answer, and that she was going to be great if she could just trust and believed in herself.  Or something along those lines.

Andrew went to Dylan's class.  Dylan has Mrs. D and Mike.  Mrs. D is also a legend ("zen master")--she is known for helping the kids learn all about centering themselves, communicating, and managing their energy.  She's been teaching kindergarten for over 30 years.  Mike is known for being very funny and a little bit more of a pushover than Mrs. D.  : ).  I get a little sad that we have to split our time at events like these, because we are both always missing out on "firsts" for one of our kids.

Today, we went to the bus stop for the 7:40 pick up (two blocks from our house).  They met their 'bus buddy' Mylan--an older student who makes sure they get to their classrooms the first week of school.  We watched them board, waved, and jumped back in our cars to hurry across the bridge and up to school.  We then met them as the bus arrived and walked them to their classrooms.  In the afternoon I picked them up from the kindergarten bus which drops off about 5 minutes from our apartment.

They seemed bigger.

D Riding the bus with Dad

C on bus

D outside her class (they have to keep rainboots at school to play in the creek, at the end of year most kids donate them as planters)

C in front of her class (notice the belt she was so proud to wear!)

C in class

PS -Ladies, someday when you ask why you didn't get alone pics, or why these aren't very good shots, please ask your father. I love him dearly but he really sucks at taking pictures

Bus Buddy!

D hopping off the bus at school

Recess!