Thursday, September 8, 2011

I Should Have Known Better

I know kids cry on the first day of pre-school.  I know the best thing to do is disappear and let the teachers do their thing.  I used to teach dance to toddlers.  I know it makes the teacher's job 10 times harder when the mom is lurking at the door.


But my kid is different, right? 


Waiting for school to open.


I never thought JD would cry.  When we went for the tour, he couldn't wait to get away from me to go play.  He always makes friends at the playground and has never had separation anxiety.  But today, when I nudged him in the door of his classroom, he froze.  I watched a woman help with his jacket, and as soon as she stood up, he took off in a sprint to me, sobbing. 


And for some reason I couldn't peel myself away from the door, even as I watched a perky teacher scoop up my kid and wisk him away to the toys.  He told me later that they wiped his eyes and nose with a TISSUE (he has a thing about tissues).  And while I'm happy that they comforted him, I'm also sad that it wasn't me drying his tears.


My shellshocked little guy when I came to pick him up.




We talked it over before bed tonight, and JD agrees that it will be fun to go back on Tuesday.  And I have 4 days to prepare myself for walking away.





22 comments:

  1. Oh, the heartbreak!

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  2. Poor JD. He'll adjust quickly. You might take longer ;)

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  3. @DanielleTheir transitions are always harder on me!

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  4. So, Spence didn't cry when we did the trial separation at orientation, he didn't cry the first full day and he completely fell apart the second day. The teacher said that it if it doesn't happen sooner, it happens later for almost every single kid.

    I didn't cry, but I will admit when I saw his first little painting in his cubby, I could barely hold it together until I go to the car.

    The whole process is tough, on mother and child. Hang in there!

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  5. Aww. That is the sweetest story and the sweetest picture ever. Stopping by from SITS.

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  6. Ahhh poor guy. the first day is always the hardest. Strange that the playground and school are different and somehow they KNOW!

    I remember going on a field trip to a museum and my mom came with us to participate in watching the kids. I had huge separation anxiety because they did not put me in her group. Very tramatic. I cried all day and had a miserable time! I dont know how mothers do it!

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  7. I empathize. But, you're right... the best thing is to disappear as fast as possible.

    Sometimes, when I just drop my kids off to the sitter, I end up lingering. I can't help it. They just look like they'd rather be with me, so I feel bad.

    Hang in there, mom! :)

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  8. @DeniseOf course they would rather be with you! We need to enjoy that while it lasts!

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  9. Letting go is always so difficult.

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  10. I remember the first time I had to do the "dump and run" with my older son at daycare. It was so much harder on me than it was on him!

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  11. Awwww, that sweet little face! Not yet a mommy, but I don't look forward to these days. I imagine that letting go the first time must be the most difficult thing to do. XOXO and happy SITS day!

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  12. Oh, that made me so sad ... it's hard letting go.

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  13. Oh, that was so sad ~ it's hard letting go.

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  14. I don't know which is worse, separation for the kids or the Moms! Happy SITS day!

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  15. I had a difficult time leaving my daughter when she first started school last year. She started Pre- k this year and I still had a hard time. All I can say is that it does get easier!

    I will remind myslef of that when my lil guy starts in the fall. While I'm crying.

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  16. Always so hard to leave them... mine starts kindergarten next year! YIKES!

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  17. leaving is always hard when they're little!

    Happy SITS Day!

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  18. That first day is always the hardest. My son did well his first day only because he had previous fits at soccer. By the time we got to preschool he was a champ at us leaving. During soccer though we had to follow him around and carry him pretty much even though we would of just been watching from the sidelines. He was bawling in his soccer pictures. One of those sad but cute things.

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  19. Been there! It's always harder on the parents than on the kids! Happy SITS day!

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