Even though it seems like summer has only just begun school clothes and school supplies are front and center in nearly every store you go to. Six of my seven grandkids will be starting a new school year in a few weeks, but it is an especially big start for my two youngest granddaughters, E.J. and Anna, both 5, who will soon be trading in their swim suits for school clothes and starting kindergarten.
E.J. and Anna
They have both had a couple of fun years in preschool and they will both be going to schools they are familiar with from having an older sibling at the school. Even so, their attitudes about this big change in their lives could not be much different. Anna is excited, ready to go and pretty much thinks she will be running the show within a few days. E.J., who is a girl who resists any big change in her life, DOES NOT want to go to kindergarten and has been lobbying for home schooling. The good news is that her mom, my daughter Joanna, taught kindergarten for six years and has seen and dealt many times with all kinds of first day of school angst. E.J.'s history suggests that after a couple of days of high drama at the beginning she will love kindergarten, though it will take her a while longer to actually admit that she likes it.
Do you deal well with changes in your life or are you resistant?
Do you have any memories of starting kindergarten?
To participate in the Grand Social visit Lisa here.
They sure are gorgeous children. I know they'll both love kindergarten. My granddaughter just had a great year in kindergarten even though people had initially warned her that her teacher had a reputation for not being that great. Since I am a retired teacher I told Tif to wait and see. KC ended up loving her teacher and learned a LOT. I was happily impressed. Change is hard for some kids. My daughter started school each year happily. My son screamed for the first two weeks of going to preschool when he was three and was fine after that. He didn't much like the change. He's also the one who now travels the world on a dime. I just got an email saying he's left Malaysia and is now in Singapore before returning to Bangladesh. You just never know.
ReplyDeleteOur granddaughter jumps right in to any new group and makes friends at once. She'll have the same kindergarten teacher her brother had last year, so she seems comfortable. I don't remember how I was about school, but these days I often need a little time to adjust to new ideas, patterns, habits.
ReplyDeleteWell. I didn't go to K-gaten and I had a terrible adjustment in 1st. I was the only kid with glasses and the only kid who already could read (I'm sure that's not true for kids nowadays when reading is pushed even in preschool). All I wanted to do was stay home and read - lottsa bellyaches! I think over the years I've gotten much better at change and new situations. Good luck to both E.J. and Anna.
ReplyDeleteI hate change! I really hate change. I don't do well with the thought of it. I usually adjust though.
ReplyDeleteI remember kindergarten quite well. I loved everything about it! I loved my teacher. I loved the classroom. I loved the play kitchen we had. I'm dating myself here. We had those back in my day. Thank God, kindergarten was about play and not about all the pressure of learning to read back then. I remember being ready to learn all I could and loving every bit of learning I did. I always loved school, and it began in kindergarten.
cutie pies...I'm not big on change...I didn't go to kindergarten...but I remember starting 1st grade...I didn't like it at all....2nd grade was better...
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh I wish them well and their moms and grandma too!
ReplyDeleteHere in New Zealand children go to 'Kindergarten' from age 3-5. Then they go to Primary school from 5-10, then Intermediate 11-12, then High School from 13-17, THEN University if they want to.
ReplyDeleteNone of mine gave me a moment's trouble going to school for the first time except Griffin.
He vomited EVERY DAY and screamed and cried as I walked him to Kindergarten, AND Primary School for the first 6 months too!
He does NOT handle change well at all.
Thank goodness he is over that stage in his life.
I hope your wee granddaughters do love going to Kindergarten.
OH and I don't remember going to Kindergarten!
ReplyDeleteI do remember Primary School though.
I liked school until I was about 14... then it sucked.
Those 2 kindergarteners are so very cute! My granddaughter starts 4th grade in 3 weeks and it seems like kindergarten for her was yesterday.
ReplyDeleteMy own kindergarten experience was very traumatic for me - my mother made me late for school the first day and sent me to walk up those very tall steps to the school door all by myself. As an adult I have never been late for anything!
Oh, my! Aren't they the cutest things! I remember the excitement of starting school -- it will help, too, having a sibling there. I can't wait to have you share their stories!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was that age, I was afraid of change, too. Then, I turned 22 and started my trip around the world...solo. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI cannot remember having fear of school and my daughter did not fear school but my son hated every day through his second year of college. Only one grandchild was angry about school and only because they did not teach him to read the first day.
ReplyDeleteI hope the angst diminishes quickly when she makes her new BFF. Best wishes to all little ones (and big ones, too) for a fantastic start to the school year!
ReplyDeleteYour granddaughters are so cute.
ReplyDeleteI never went to kindergarden. When my daughter went they wanted to put her on ADD meds because she was sociable. I didn't listen. Glad.
Your description of the different viewpoints is typical of families. Sometimes I wondered how my kids could be in the same family and yet so different. I too never went to kindergarden. I do remember my older daughter on her first day there and how she was so grown up and ready for school. The other kids had an older sister to help prep them so their school days started out with enthusiasm.
ReplyDeleteThose two little sweeties are sure adorable!!! Kindergarten will be fun for them...and I think they both do well. Some of us are a little shy at first...but I am sure she will adjust soon. (:>)
ReplyDeleteI was a Momma's girl,...really shy, and I didn't really want to go to kindergarten...but I ended up loving it! It was so much fun!
I am sure she will get lots of love and encouragement from her mommy and from her grandma...and soon she will love it!
Thanks for your comment today! We loved our trip to Colorado.
Love, Linda
I'm middle of the road on change. I am not in love with it.
ReplyDeleteI didn't have kindergarten where we lived in Payson, Arizona.
For first grade I had Julia Randall, a local legend who was in her 48th year of a 56 year career. Her specialty was slapping kids out of their seats and onto the floor. The first kid that got it was about 10 minutes into the first day when he asked her if we were going to get crayons.
Talk about a wakeup call!!
Oh my.
ReplyDeleteThey are so sweet.
Ours started a few weeks ago.
It's crazy to recognize how old they are all getting!
Oh, is there anything more wonderful than children in a pool?!
ReplyDeleteI'll bet they're thrilled for a new school year -- and yes, I mean that!!
Pearl
I remember my kindergarten teacher-- She had a little school in the basement of her home and I LOVED it! Loved my 1st grade teacher too.
ReplyDeleteI probably dealt with change better when I was clueless as a kid ;-) Seems the older I get the harder change is-- or maybe the changes are just bigger as we age (health, loss, jobs, etc.)
Regardless-- As always, your grandkids are as gorgeous as ever. I wish they all a terrific school year with a minimum amount of angst and drama.
xo jj