So school started a couple of weeks ago. I have been a crazy, crazy woman ever since (don't you dare say that's nothing new!). It has been a challenge getting up early enough to get there on time, but we've done pretty well so far.
He was so excited though, and I was just trying to keep it together.
Port and I walked Kiddo down to his classroom (all the way across the school - not sure why they do kinder drop off on the opposite end of the school from their classrooms, but whatever). He ran in and found his seat and was ready to get started. I barely got a picture and a hug and kiss goodbye before he started ignoring me completely.
I checked with the teacher just to make sure she knew about Kiddo's allergy and, sadly, she didn't. This really surprised me because when I enrolled him in March the school was informed. One would think that important information like that would be one of the first things a teacher learns about her students. We briefly discussed the lunch situation, and she assured me that Kiddo would be placed away from the kids who had brought peanut butter. She also told me that information for Kiddo's classmate's parents would go home in the daily folder.
Unfortunately, Port loved Kiddo's classroom just as much as Kiddo, and parked his little tush right next to his brother in the next chair at the table. He was soooo not happy when I made him get up and leave. We got out the classroom door and the fit began. Port kicked and screamed and fought me all the way through the school and out the doors.
I didn't have time to get emotional thanks to the embarrassing screaming maniac I was carrying over my shoulder through the building.
We got out the side doors and I remembered that I needed to drop off some benadryl at the nurse's office. DOH! So I got Port calmed down and we went back in. He was fine when he thought we were going back to the classroom. When we walked in to the nurse's office he started up again with the fit. I dropped off the benadryl and headed out again, this time through the front doors (they were closer). One of the school staff joked with me that they were supposed to cry going in, not coming out, and I laughed a courtesy laugh and towed the screaming banshee out to the van. I had to force him into his car seat; where he proceeded to scream bloody murder and claw and kick at the air all the way home.
It was a pretty long day. Port was not happy with Kiddo being gone. He brought me my shoes about 20 times, asking me if we could go to the school and get Kiddo.
When we picked up Kiddo, he was kind of pouty. He had so much fun at school that he didn't want to come home. He tried to talk me into taking him to school on the weekend too! He said he wanted to be somewhere that his little brother couldn't bother him.
The next morning, Kiddo wanted to walk to his classroom himself, but I wanted to make sure he knew where to go so I had him lead us. He of course, forgot how to get to his hallway, so we walked with him to the door, pointing out the "landmarks" along the way so he could remember. I didn't let Port go into the classroom this time because I wanted to avoid the melt down, but as soon as we turned to go it started anyway. Unlike the day before when Port screamed Kiddo's name throughout the school, on the second day he screamed "BROTHER!!!! BROTHER!!!! COME BACK!!!"
It was pitiful.
The day at home was a bit better, and the boys were somewhat happy to see each other when they reunited that afternoon.
I was a concerned though, because there was still no allergy information sent home to the parents regarding Kiddo's peanut allergy and no one had come to talk to his class. I was promised by both the nurse and the teacher that information would go out asap. And I know that the first few days of class are hectic, but this is a pretty important bit of information that the parents need to know about.
But what really put me over the edge was when Kiddo informed me that it was one of his classmate's birthdays, and the mom had brought cupcakes for the class (apparently that is what we are all supposed to do now). Kiddo was given a cupcake to eat. I asked him if he asked anyone if it was safe for him to eat and he said he forgot. I asked him if the teacher assured him that she had checked the ingredients and he said no.
Of course, before school even started, I had a couple of conversations with Kiddo that he wasn't allowed to eat ANYTHING that I didn't send with him. The fact that he forgot all of that and ate a cupcake without even asking if it was safe scared the crap out of me.
So that night I sent a very nice email to the teacher asking if there was anything I could do to help her get information to the parents, and let her know that Kiddo was not allowed to eat anything that I didn't send with him. I cc'd the principal as well.
Wednesday morning Kiddo insisted on walking by himself, so I gave him a good lead and then followed behind him about 20 feet back. Watching him navigate his way to the hall, with that huge backpack that was almost the same size as him; well that was what finally did me in. He looked so confident and big and independent - I lost it. I started to cry as Port and I made a u-turn and headed out the building. I would have been a blubbering mess had I not run into an old friend and her daughter in the hallway. They saved me embarrassing myself on day 3.
By 8AM that morning I had an apologetic email response from the teacher, by 9 the principal had phoned me personally and by 9:30 so did the nurse. Suddenly they had a beautiful plan in place, a huge sign on the door of his classroom and information went home in the folder that afternoon. The nurse spoke to the class and the teacher tried to call me during her planning period. I missed her call because I was changing a diaper, but it was nice that she called.
Thursday was Kiddo's birthday so I walked to the classroom with him to deliver his birthday cupcakes. He barely said goodbye before bolting in the room to see his friends. He didn't want me to come up to have lunch with him, so we didn't get to see him until after school. He had a great day and was bouncing when he got in the car. He chose Schlotsky's pizza for his birthday dinner, and Hubby and I were more than happy to oblige. (YUM!)
Friday I let him out of the van in the drop off line and he went into the school and to his classroom all by himself for the very first time. It was tough on both Port and I, to just let him go like that. Port cried and whimpered the whole way home. At one point he cried out, "Kiddo, GET BACK HERE! You GET BACK HERE NOW!"
It was both sad and pretty cute.
Friday afternoon when we picked Kiddo up he was in a foul mood. He had gotten in trouble at school and had to write his name on the board for disrupting the class.
Apparently during their nap/rest time, Kiddo...uh...pooted.
A classmate laughed, which made him laugh, and then the whole class chimed in.
He was not happy about getting in trouble at all and his foul mood carried on throughout the day.
And thus ended the first week of school.
Until,
D :)
No comments:
Post a Comment