The babies on the bus
On Saturday, I got a little piece of mail. It came in a security envelope, the ones that require you to tear off strips of perforated paper along the edges. Inside was the baby’s school bus schedule.
Ever since then, the reality of this big transition has really been racing through my head. I was telling a friend last night that we really have to start working our way out of this summer routine that involves staying up kind of late and taking advantage of the fact that school is out by leisurely arriving at my quiet office. The baby gets the bus at 8 a.m. and so I am going to have to make sure that he starts going to bed an hour or so earlier. I am going to have to start going to bed much earlier. Watching movies until 1:30 a.m. is probably not going to cut it anymore. I’m also going to have to start doing really responsible, adult things like pack our lunches the night before and making sure that all backpacks have everything that they need. Juggling work, the baby’s school, the husband’s school and my school is going to be a real challenge and I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t slightly terrified.
I feel like we’ve been kind of skating along up until this point, dabbling in only the bare minimum of responsible habits. The baby growing up and starting kindergarten and really moving into the realm of Big Kid is forcing me to really knuckle down and do the things that I know I should instead of just letting them slide in favor of some self-indulgence.
It might be a little easier if the baby was just totally gung ho about the whole thing, but he’s a little nervous. Last night, we were talking about the bus and he asked if I was going to go with him. I explained that I wouldn’t be and he got a little upset but I said that there would be other kids on the bus and some of them would be nervous, too. But when they get to school his teachers will meet him and they will show him where to go. I think we’re both struggling to let go of the idea that I’m just shooting my kid into the unknown with no real plan. Millions of kids start kindergarten every year and mine is going to be just fine.
To top it all off, we were watching Big Love last night (I said I was a bad mom!) and the baby said that Nicki was his favorite character. I asked him why and he said it was because she’s pretty. I asked him if he thought she was the prettiest, meaning the prettiest on the show and he said, “No, Mum, you’re the prettiest.”
Alright, I have to go melt into a puddle somewhere.
August 20th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
We let out daughter watch the opening credits of Big Love last night, right before we paused it and put her to bed.
First she said “They’re skating!!!” and then when they’re all sitting down at their “celestial” dinner table, she said, “AND that’s [her name]”
I asked which one was [her name], assuming it was Margene, since they share a hair color. She said “No, yellow hair, like mommy!”
My god, My daughter has decided she is Nicki.
August 20th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
I, too, am sending my younger son onto the kindergarten bus next week. My older son is in third grade – you’d think I’d be okay by now…but I’m not.
If you can, try taking him to the playground sometime before school starts. You know that “story’ about kids who say their favorite part of school is recess? Well, it’s true. Use it for all it’s worth – bring him to the playground, and when he’s nervous about going to school, you can say, “Remember the great swings?” or “You’ll get to play on that great structure” or “Think of all the basketball you’ll be able to play! (in about four years when you’re tall enough to reach the rims)!”
Also, there are lots of great “Get Ready for Kindergarten” books…read them together, fake your own excitement (save the crying for when you are out of his room!) and he’ll be okay. Can’t promise how you’ll be, though… 🙂
August 20th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
heh, little a, the baby asked us once why they were skating and we started trying to explain metaphors. he didn’t quite get it.
August 20th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
thanks, JZmom. we have some books that I’ve been gently pushing and we’ve been to the playground once but I think he needs a refresher. I’ve already warned the people at work that I might be a tad Emotional on that day.
August 20th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
I tried watching Big Love. I watched the pilot when it was featured on a sample disc enclosed with the fifth season of Six Feet Under I bought at Costco. I think I was too creeped out to want to watch more, but I keep hearing how good it is. Maybe I should give it another look.
Have you by chance watched The Riches on FX? It seems like the sort of show you’d enjoy. That and The Shield are both so good, I wonder why they’re not on HBO, but since I don’t have HBO, I’m sort of glad they’re not.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Amber, definitely check it out. It’s getting a little wild now but it’s still crack-like.
I LOVE the Riches. I really hope it didn’t get canceled for next season.
January 19th, 2015 at 12:41 pm
Thorn of Girl
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