I took my 4-year-old son, Braden, to school for the first time, kind of, Tuesday, Sept. 1.
I add “kind of” because his school, Canaland Christian Academy and Daycare, is the same one he’s been going to for the past two years, so the change wasn’t that big for him nor my wife, Jenny, and me.
Now, instead of attending the daycare portion exclusively, for two hours a day he attends 4-year-old Kindergarten (4K) at the Academy through the Stevens Point Area School District.
This means a licensed teacher provides classroom curriculum to Braden designed to help him learn some of the basics I didn’t learn until my second year in kindergarten.
Yes, I’ll admit it, I’m a kindergarten flunkey.
I like to think my parents were attempting to start the 4K trend well before the age of 4K, because I was only 4 when I started school in the late 1970s, when most of my peers were 5. But in reality I know I probably wasn’t a trendsetter, but rather one of the reasons a law was passed restricting kids from starting school too early.
It’s a good law, as I recall little about my first day of school on my first attempt at kindergarten. In fact, I don’t remember much about that first year, except crying a lot. My shoes are knotted: waaaahh; I can’t use the scissors correctly: waaahh; you want me to repeat the alphabet: waaahh; one through 10, not a problem, but after that: waaahh.
I’m sure it was a miserable experience, but fortunately I’ve repressed most of those memories and hope I never have to pay a psychologist to bring them back.
My second attempt at kindergarten was a treat, though. The things I failed to learn the first time around were a breeze the second time. I shot to the head of the class where I usually remained for the rest of my academic career, proving those formative years are likely the most important in a child’s life, even if the instruction he or she is given is so basic.
It’s my hope 4K will help Braden with the basics like my failed attempt at kindergarten helped me, so next year when he’s in kindergarten he’ll be the Albert Einstein of the classroom. I’m sure all of the parents are hoping for the same thing, though, so I’ll settle for the Stephen Hawking, just to be a little more original.
Getting him started on this endeavor began in the stores, as Jenny did the shopping for his school supplies and new clothes. I never understood the whole “buy new clothes” thing for going back to school, as the clothes he has been wearing all summer are still suitable for wearing to school.
But nearly everyone does it for their kids. When one of Braden’s teachers told me “It seems like everyone has new shoes today” after Braden pointed out to her that he was wearing new shoes, she was making an observation that couldn’t be anymore true. Each kid, no matter how grubby he or she normally is, looks like the All-American Kid that first day.
Perhaps it would be wiser to put your kid in news clothes and shoes the week after school starts, and then more people would notice, if that’s your goal. Of course, people might think your kid is a dirtball that first week, and initial impressions are defining no matter whether or not they are correct. But if that doesn’t bother you, I say wait a week. You’d probably find better deals on clothing at the store anyway.
As confused as I am about having to put a child in new clothes the first day of school, I’m even more confused about why parents cry when they take kids to school for the first time. It’s cause for celebration, especially if it reduces daycare expenses.
That doesn’t happen to us this year, as the amount of time in 4K is limited, but next year when he starts kindergarten our childcare expenses will virtually disappear. Jenny and I may have to take the day off and have some sort of daycare bill-burning party.
Maybe the parents who cry are just too happy about this, so maybe I’ll be crying, too. Unless Braden is too much like me and flunks 4K. Then my tears will be the tears of one more year of childcare.
I add “kind of” because his school, Canaland Christian Academy and Daycare, is the same one he’s been going to for the past two years, so the change wasn’t that big for him nor my wife, Jenny, and me.
Now, instead of attending the daycare portion exclusively, for two hours a day he attends 4-year-old Kindergarten (4K) at the Academy through the Stevens Point Area School District.
This means a licensed teacher provides classroom curriculum to Braden designed to help him learn some of the basics I didn’t learn until my second year in kindergarten.
Yes, I’ll admit it, I’m a kindergarten flunkey.
I like to think my parents were attempting to start the 4K trend well before the age of 4K, because I was only 4 when I started school in the late 1970s, when most of my peers were 5. But in reality I know I probably wasn’t a trendsetter, but rather one of the reasons a law was passed restricting kids from starting school too early.
It’s a good law, as I recall little about my first day of school on my first attempt at kindergarten. In fact, I don’t remember much about that first year, except crying a lot. My shoes are knotted: waaaahh; I can’t use the scissors correctly: waaahh; you want me to repeat the alphabet: waaahh; one through 10, not a problem, but after that: waaahh.
I’m sure it was a miserable experience, but fortunately I’ve repressed most of those memories and hope I never have to pay a psychologist to bring them back.
My second attempt at kindergarten was a treat, though. The things I failed to learn the first time around were a breeze the second time. I shot to the head of the class where I usually remained for the rest of my academic career, proving those formative years are likely the most important in a child’s life, even if the instruction he or she is given is so basic.
It’s my hope 4K will help Braden with the basics like my failed attempt at kindergarten helped me, so next year when he’s in kindergarten he’ll be the Albert Einstein of the classroom. I’m sure all of the parents are hoping for the same thing, though, so I’ll settle for the Stephen Hawking, just to be a little more original.
Getting him started on this endeavor began in the stores, as Jenny did the shopping for his school supplies and new clothes. I never understood the whole “buy new clothes” thing for going back to school, as the clothes he has been wearing all summer are still suitable for wearing to school.
But nearly everyone does it for their kids. When one of Braden’s teachers told me “It seems like everyone has new shoes today” after Braden pointed out to her that he was wearing new shoes, she was making an observation that couldn’t be anymore true. Each kid, no matter how grubby he or she normally is, looks like the All-American Kid that first day.
Perhaps it would be wiser to put your kid in news clothes and shoes the week after school starts, and then more people would notice, if that’s your goal. Of course, people might think your kid is a dirtball that first week, and initial impressions are defining no matter whether or not they are correct. But if that doesn’t bother you, I say wait a week. You’d probably find better deals on clothing at the store anyway.
As confused as I am about having to put a child in new clothes the first day of school, I’m even more confused about why parents cry when they take kids to school for the first time. It’s cause for celebration, especially if it reduces daycare expenses.
That doesn’t happen to us this year, as the amount of time in 4K is limited, but next year when he starts kindergarten our childcare expenses will virtually disappear. Jenny and I may have to take the day off and have some sort of daycare bill-burning party.
Maybe the parents who cry are just too happy about this, so maybe I’ll be crying, too. Unless Braden is too much like me and flunks 4K. Then my tears will be the tears of one more year of childcare.
Originally published in The Portage County Gazette on Sept. 4, 2009.
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