This sweet boy of mine has started Kindergarten. I have to say I never thought these days would have me more emotionally exhausted than the first 2 days of full day Kindgergarten. I wish I could report that he is having an easier time than me but I don't think that's quite true. He is doing ok. Maybe a little better, it is hard to say because I am not with him for most of it. I have been prepping Kaj for starting school for a while now. He is like the boy version of me as a child and needs the emotional prep time for change. The night before school Kaj received a father's blessing. He was so excited. Sam gave him a very sweet blessing. I know that Heavenly Father loves Kaj and is aware of his questions and concerns. As soon as the blessings was over he turned around and said, "That was awesome!" The first day of school I stayed for a little bit. We were told we could stay from 9:00-10:30 and I had thought that meant we could stay in the classroom with the kids the whole time. After the first 15 minutes Kaj's teacher read the book, "Twas the Night Before Kindergartem," and after just a little gentle sobbing on my part the parents of kindergarteners were asked to go to stations where we met with the school nurse for power point presentation and then the principal whose actual name is Sunshine.. ? Really. We then went back to the classroom just as the kids were going to recess and talked with the teacher for a little bit. Kaj's teacher's name is Mrs. Steele. I had to leave so I get home so Sam could go back to work, and as I was turning to go out to recess to find Kaj to say goodbye lo and behold he was in the hallway with another teacher because he had been crying. Heart broken I started crying so I was no help in the situation no matter how much I tried to compose myself. This sweet teacher distracted him and walked with him down the hall. I am very grateful for this teacher who was with him.
My friend Sara and I were talking about our kids first days and she said that the teacher for Lola took an extra moment to get really excited about meeting Lola and Sara saw this and later told me, "How did she know? How did she know that Lola needed that?" I thought that was very sweet, and we discussed how tender mercies are real. When she later told her husband Greg he made the good point saying, "Maybe the tender mercy wasn't that Lola needed it but that you needed to see it." Touche. I am certainly thankful for both the tender mercy of this sweet teacher taking a sweet crying boy in the crowd of recess under her wing, but also that I was able to see and know he was cared for. Day 1. Hard. Day 2. When I picked up Kaj he smiled and seemed happy, but I noticed right away tear stains on his cheeks and he told me a possible number of times he cried. People keep advising me that it will take time. I believe that. I hope the time comes sooner than later that he can be happy for the whole day at school.
