I have a 5 year old today. Which is weird because he doesn't really seem any different today than he did yesterday, but today he is 5. Which seems old to me. And tonight, we are headed off to John Stanford Elementary for his first "Back to School" night. We will meet his first "real" teachers tonight...Miss Lucy and Miss Maria, he has both an English and a Spanish teacher as our neighborhood school does language emersion which I think is pretty cool.
He seems excited but I know he doesn't grasp the significance of this night and this next week...I think I grasp it as I get teary writing this. Starting next Wednesday, Mark and I will no longer be the only big influences in his life -yes I know we will still be the biggest influences, but from 9:10-3:00 Monday through Friday...he will belong to Miss Lucy and Miss Maria and will be influenced by them and all the other kids in his class and so indirectly by all of their parents also. It is weird to me - and for all of my "open minded" talk...he really has been pretty sheltered and now I feel like I'm sending him out into the world. I realize its only kindergarten, but there are other bigger kids there and it makes me want to protect his innocence even more.
I don't want him to have to learn that kids can be cruel sometimes...and that everyone won't want to be his friend...I'm not ready for team sports and comparisons about athletic abilities (because if genetics has anything to do with it, he's screwed)...I'm not ready for little girls to want to kiss him, or worse, not want to...I'm not ready for hurt feelings...
But on the other side - there are new languages to be learned...new concepts to grasp...reading to happen...a mind to be opened and new ideas to be explored...many friends to be made and a great adventure to be started...so, "Back to School" night, here we come - I hope John Stanford is ready for one great kid to enter its ranks...
He seems excited but I know he doesn't grasp the significance of this night and this next week...I think I grasp it as I get teary writing this. Starting next Wednesday, Mark and I will no longer be the only big influences in his life -yes I know we will still be the biggest influences, but from 9:10-3:00 Monday through Friday...he will belong to Miss Lucy and Miss Maria and will be influenced by them and all the other kids in his class and so indirectly by all of their parents also. It is weird to me - and for all of my "open minded" talk...he really has been pretty sheltered and now I feel like I'm sending him out into the world. I realize its only kindergarten, but there are other bigger kids there and it makes me want to protect his innocence even more.
I don't want him to have to learn that kids can be cruel sometimes...and that everyone won't want to be his friend...I'm not ready for team sports and comparisons about athletic abilities (because if genetics has anything to do with it, he's screwed)...I'm not ready for little girls to want to kiss him, or worse, not want to...I'm not ready for hurt feelings...
But on the other side - there are new languages to be learned...new concepts to grasp...reading to happen...a mind to be opened and new ideas to be explored...many friends to be made and a great adventure to be started...so, "Back to School" night, here we come - I hope John Stanford is ready for one great kid to enter its ranks...
2 comments:
Ok - I chose not play sports it was not from a lack of ability. So speak for your side of the family. My brother was an allstar baseball player, weight lifter, golf team, football...ok maybe you see why I did not do sports...
Will did great tonight - but I can't believe he will be greated in Spanish on Wednesday and hear no English from an adult until lunch time. Wow! He will never be 4 again and for the most part I would not change one moment of the first 5 years of being his Dad (ok a few moments I would modify slightly)
You just take it one day at a time because it is all too overwhelming. Just wait until you drive him to Junior High - and you look at all those squirley kids and you want him to stay in the car forever.
I remember one time when Brent got called "gay" by a kid walking home after school. I wanted to go pound the kid and the next time we were in the car and drove by his house I asked Brent if he wanted me to yell "chubby" or "fatty" or something at the kid. Brent immediately said "Palla, you can't say that...his mom died"
So, you have more influence than anyone and luckily they remember this as Brent did, and will use it to admonish us when necessary!
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