Yesterday was Sophie's first day of first grade. It was the first day she's left the house for school, since I homeschooled her last year. She's been excited for some time, but the night before last there was the anticipated worry in her voice. She's shy, after all.
I had to drive Laura and Sophie in to school because our van was in the shop (gettin' it all pimped out, dawgs). Anyway, it was hard watching her walk hand-in-hand with her mommy into the school. I think, though, it would have been far harder if she had been walking into the school by herself. School is an interesting little experiment. It's sort of like pushing your little one into the deep end to see if her instincts will kick in and she'll swim. You trust that it will all work out, but you have your doubts about the process.
When I picked her up in the afternoon, she had a big smile on her face. I asked her what her favorite thing that happened in school was and she told me that it was not having to flip her card (for misbehavior). She was a chatterbox and filled my ears with her honey voice telling me all about her day.
During lunch she cried. They were serving pizza and the sauce was too spicy for her so she offered her food to another child who wanted it. The teacher told her that she couldn't share her food - it's against school policy (allergies, complainers, whiners, little babies, etc.). Sophie cried because she thought she was in trouble. After she related the story to me, I told her that it was never wrong to share and that I was very proud of her. (But don't do it while the teacher's looking.)
Today is Day 2 and I pray it will be even better than Day 1.
7 comments:
She's going to do great.
Isn't it strange to think you and I were only two years older than she is when we first met?
Subversive parenting - most excellent. ;)
Alison, it blows my mind. It's good to be reminded though. I hope she can make as good a friend as I did.
Scott - he he he. Doing my best, man, doing my best.
Sophie's a cutie, and she will do great in school. She sounds like she's very rule oriented like my Courtney, who never had to "pull a card." My daughter would have cried for days if she ever really got into trouble.
Your little Sophie sounds like she is a well adjusted little girl. She will probably do fine in school. Keep your ears open when she talks. You will learn all kinds of things about her that way. Also if you keep listening now she will probably still talk to you when she is a teenager. That is a very important time to listen. You sound like a good dad.
Eh, I was a sensitive soul, and I got in trouble for helping the kid next to me by reading under my breath to her when her turn came to stand up and read to the class (I'd learned how when I was two). She wasn't ready for it, though, so I thought it was cruel. Six-year-old Meg took justice into her own hands, and next thing I knew, I was standing in the hallway. When the teacher came out to reprimand me, I explained that embarassing people was not a good way to help them learn. And she fell silent, we went back inside, and reading out loud was voluntary from that day on. Keep sharing, Sophie!!
Such a beautiful child inside and out. Just happened upon your website while visiting in Alaska...by the way, we got a Caribou. I remember Sophie's Dad crying in school. I think she may take after you! Love you all...
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