'twas the night before the night before Kindergarten

Ben starts Kindergarten in 2 days. He and I are both ready and not ready for this event. Academically, he's definitely ready. Physically, I'm ready for him to go. This has been an exhausting summer for me, having 3 kids at home all day long and not getting much sleep at night. Emotionally, neither of us are ready. He's going into a brand new environment -- we don't know a soul at this school! And that's anxiety-producing for both of us. He's told me a few times that he's nervous about it, which is expected and natural. I'm nervous too! the good thing is that none of the other kids know each other either (or if they do, it's a fluke thing) since kids from all over the city come to this school, so they're all in the same boat and it's not like he's coming into a place with already established friendships.

Of course, I worry about him socially. The thought of my little boy sitting all by himself at the lunch table or wandering on the playground alone is enough to make my sleep-deprived postpartum hormonal self start tearing up. Rationally, I know that he'll be okay. I am praying that he'll find a friend quickly so that going to school will be a little easier for him.

Academically, he'll do fabulously, though I think getting into the routine of doing daily homework will be challenging. He is working 1 grade level ahead at his school and I'm anticipating that the reading will be difficult for him. He's expected to read 40 books by June. 20 of those books we just have to record what he read and the date he read them, but for the other 20 he will have to write a book report (which can be dictated to us).

We had an Open House last Thursday where he got to see his classroom, his teacher, and most of the students. I like his teacher a lot. She's the only teacher in the school who gets the kids outside every day for recess and she really believes in the educating through play. Skinner is a really academic school, so I'm glad that he will have a gradual entry into the rigors of the academia. His teacher is also from Michigan, which makes me like her even more! :)

I personally loved school. I so hope that will be his experience too!

*for a recap of our CPS journey, click here for part 1 and here for part 2.