08-07-2012. This was the first day of Kindergarten, very first day of school for this Gibbons' house. We were excited and nervous. Before when asked where Elijah would attend school the answer was, "I don't know, haven't thought about it." That was still the same until one week before school started and we turned in all the paperwork we'd had in preparation for school to LONE JACK. That day we all walked inside and looked at his classroom, Momma fought tears back until we drove down the highway and looked back up at the school. Momma kept her face turned toward the window, but Daddy was sure to point out that Momma was crying. Elijah would later pick on her saying "I'm a little school boy" trying to get her to cry.
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| Breakfast line |
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| Meet Ms. Mace |
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| Time to head home! |
Momma knew this would prove harder than any 'first day' she ever had to face, including college and first day of work as a Registered Nurse. She was right and slept very little the night before, as she woke up and cried for 3 hours before going back to sleep. At 8:05 am we reported to school and filled into the gym. They begin with a prayer and introducing new faculty and then called the kids by name. As Elijah lined up with the other kids, Momma turned to Daddy and said, "we should've left first." So it was then as the new Kindergarteners began to walk to the lunchroom for breakfast with their new teacher that Momma took Levi out to the car so she could let the tears that were flooding her heart flow free. Outside the school, and away from Elijah's eyes, she sobbed uncontrollably in the parking lot. For the next 4 days she could be spotted crying in this parking lot.
Elijah on the other hand, although nervous, didn't shed any tears that morning. It was later in the day before school was over that his teacher had to comfort him. She said she thought he might have been afraid to ask for the potty because after she pet him and calmed him down he grabbed himself and run to the bathroom. Elijah later said that he was missing home.
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| Second Day |
He was tearful getting ready the second day but was fine at school. When we walked in we saw his bus and talked about the number on it. I told him to ride the bus and we'd be waiting at the bus stop for him and he said "k." Momma dropped Elijah off at his room where his teacher and other students were sitting. He helped Momma put away his things showing her where to hang his backpack and his "cubby." Then he walked right to the seat he had been given the day before and sit right down. Momma went home and asked, "should I call and be sure they know to put him on the bus?" Not wanting to be the mom who calls EVERY single day, she said, Elijah knows to ride the bus. It was at 3:20 when we were at the bus stop getting very anxious that the school called to say Elijah wouldn't get on the bus. He'd changed his mind about it and told them he wasn't supposed to.
The 3rd and 4th day of school there was lots more tears from Elijah. Momma tried to pack his favorite foods for breakfast and lunch and to find comfort toys to send with him. Nothing seemed to work. New toys meant for bribing him into school without tears only paused the waterworks briefly. Elijah cried so hard he began to gag and choke. One morning he started to beg "please don't leave me" and Momma nearly lost it. She picked him up to hug him and then with tears welling up in her eyes she turned to the teacher who was coming to pet him and said "I've got to go or I will cry too" It was this day that she was nearly picked on by a kid in the hallway for crying. Momma knew Elijah would be mad at her for leaving. Sure enough when he got home he asked why she left. When she told him that she had to leave so she wouldn't cry he said, "why didn't you go like this (deep breath) and think of something that makes you happy?" Shew that boy!
On Friday the first week of school Elijah was excited knowing he was gonna have 2 days off, but he still begged to stay home. Momma hugged him as he cried and hurried out of the room in hopes that he would stop crying as soon as she was gone. It was this day that the teacher suggested a picture of Mom and Dad for him to keep at school, and maybe joining him at lunch. So at 10:55 Momma and baby brother arrived at school with a Spongebob happy meal. Elijah was sitting in the lunchroom with his teacher and Momma thought, "oh he's still crying" But when they turned and saw them, it was only a smile that welcomed them. He told us about playing in the gym that morning and being the line leader. He ate only a few bites, which was better than he had been doing according to his teacher.
We survived the first week of school but I'm sure this is only the beginning. Still nervous but so blessed to have the chance to watch my sweet Elijah grow and learn! *sniff
PS. When the subject came up Elijah said, "I can't poop at school, there's no tissue and the toilet is too small"
