Ty's First Day of School

Man, my heart was torn from my body, placed on a cutting board, stomped on, cut into itty bitty pieces, put back together, and then it all happened over again. I imagined we had prepared our little scholar for the first days of kindergarten. We visited the school numerous times, he knows his teacher, knows where he is sitting, knows where his cubby is, has a number of friends going with him, etc. But this morning, I woke up to Mike saying with a very loud and raised voice "get up because you're going anyway!" He had been trying to help Tyson for quite awhile and had given up. Tyson was curled up in a ball on his bed crying. I hugged him and talked to him. He laid on my lap telling me how scarred he was. It took everything in me not to say, "Honey, I don't want you to go either. I want you to stay home forever and ever. Let's go get a cookie and watch cartoons all morning." No, I encouraged. I told him all the great things about school. He finally got dressed when I convinced him that he would need to be dressed even if he wasn't at school. I felt encouraged when he left his bedroom, but halfway down the hall he sat down and took off his shoes and socks. He left them there then went downstairs. I got his shoes back on him then convinced him to eat by using the same tactics as before- you'd have to eat even if you're not going to school. I showed him his lunch- peanut butter sandwich with a heart cut out in the middle, yogurt, grapes, and chocolate milk. All his favorites. I then had him brush his teeth. He cried all the way through it. I had to go pick him up and bring him back downstairs. When I handed him to Mike to take to school, it took everything not to cry int front of Tyson. I smiled and waited at the front door (in my night gown- the things we do for our kids) and waved as he left. Then I cried. Mike called at about 8:30 to tell me Tyson was sitting in his seat, but wouldn't move. The kids were reading a book with the teacher and there were coloring pages, but Tyson would have none of it. There were a few parents calming their children but the majority were happy. I think Ty will do o.k. once he warms up to everything. I didn't take pictures of him in his uniform this morning for obvious reasons, but I will if he comes home in good spirits. Hopefully tomorrow will go a little smoother. The emotions run high in our household today. Aren't you glad you're not here!