Greetings all and happy Tuesday. I don’t know if anyone else out there reading this is a list person, but I am. Ask my mom and she’ll tell you that I’ve been a list person for a very long time. I had a planner in jr. high and have one to this day. And yes, it is a paper one that you have to write in. My IPhone is wonderful, and lists are there to be found as well. But, nothing beats a good old fashioned paper and pen list and calendar.

           One of the posts I’ve had in my brain (and on my list(s)) that I think I’ve been putting off is my First Day of School post. My oldest started school, kindergarten to be exact. I’ve been nervous about it for awhile. Probably a little bit more than a year ago I really started worrying about it. I used to be a Liberal Studies major, with the intention of becoming a teacher. The politics of teaching in California, or most other places for that matter, was something that just felt I couldn’t deal with. There are many days I regret the decision, but what’s done is done. The concerns about putting my child in the public school system are what they are too; and I don’t particularly care to argue about that either. But like just about everything in my life God is totally in control. He’s watching over us.

         We are very fortunate to have moved to a great state, an even better school district and one of the better elementary schools. My fears about teachers have been eased. My fears about my little guy have been eased. I’m a firm believer in letting kids be kids. Letting them play, get dirty, run around, be silly, build an imagination and just have plain ‘ole fun. I just don’t think kids get to do this enough these days. Many kids just don’t play like when I was growing up or my parents. Too much tv, video games, baseball teams, soccor, dance, cheerleading, and the list goes on and on. Don’t get me wrong, my kids are in stuff too. My son does karate and my daughter right now is doing gymnastics. I think interaction and team activities are important for kids, but kids are shuffled around from thing to thing at such a young age now. I was worried about the fact that I’d let my kids be kids and how that would translate into a classroom. I was worried it would be too rigid, to structured and too education focused. And don’t worry, we discipline, I did pre-k work with him at home and we have rules, so its not like I let them run amuk.

          In the end I’ve been so happy. I didn’t have to do the whole “I told you so” speech to the hubbs (which I might have secretly been bummed about,lol). He’s doing so well. No additional emotional outbursts (boys at this age are super emotional people!). He’s been a little bit more tired than normal but not a lot. He likes his teacher, is making friends, likes his work. He’s doing music and PE and finally got to play with the play kitchen set in the classroom, which he was convinced was there purely to taunt him. He’s succeeding and I’m so proud. This mom can now breathe a sigh of relief.

 How bout you all? Any sighs of relief going around after the first couple weeks of school? Everyone getting into a rhythm with their schedules?