Back to School Night

Last night was our first ever back to school night as parents. Honestly, I'm still adjusting to being the parent and not the kid. The night started out ok with the principal and superindentant of schools talking. Except as the good parent I am, I stood outside talking to some other moms instead of listening. Bad I know, but I already knew about their handwriting curriculum because they use it as the preschool also. That's a good excuse, right?

After that we went to Samantha's classroom. It's been an interesting beginning to the year as her teacher was out all of last week after receiving devistating news that her father had passed away unexpectedly. So they're all getting used to be being back together. Mrs. M went over the work they'll be doing this year and hot damn, it's a lot. They are busy from that first morning bell until pick up. They do have recess & playtime after lunch as well as about 1/2 hour of free time right at the end of their day. But for 4 & 5 year olds, that's a lot of work. Makes me wonder how half day kindergarten jams it all in. Anyways, they'll be doing language arts (reading, writing, etc), math, science (earth, life & physical) and art. Due to budget cuts they had to let the PE teacher go, so she'll be taking them out when she can to do that. By the end of the year they need to be reading at a level 3 - not sure exactly how to describe it, but reading none the less. Oh and homework starts next week. HOMEWORK. IN KINDERGARTEN! She wasn't kidding when she said the days of milk & cookies in kinder were over.

We stayed afterwards to ask how Sam was adjusting, if she was behaving, etc. She told us that Sam was a dream student and thanked us for it! Although we know she's smart and can be sweet, she also has a 5 going on 15 attitude about her sometimes and she's been known to talk.. A LOT. Oh and let's not forget her preschool teacher told us she was tad bit bossy at her conference last year. So this was great news to hear last night. Apparently, she does what she is supposed to, gets her work done, is helpful and a delight to have in class. Maybe it helped that her and her best friend from last year were put in seperate classes (on purpose, btw). It hasn't seemed to faze Sam though, as she already has two new best friends. And so far they seem nicer.

All of this was especially good news after the conversation Sam and I had the other night. Last Friday I took the girls to rent movies since Nacho was at a baseball game with work. We didn't get around to watching the one Lu picked until early this week. It's an American Girl movie about a girl (4th grade) who starts a new school and is bullied. I did read the back before renting and knew it was the storyline, but I had NO idea they were so mean. Horribly mean. And the sad part is does probably happen just this way a lot. So I decided to use it as a teaching moment and talk to the girls about bullying and not always following what your friends do, especially if you disagree with it. Sam says all the right things in response (per usual Lu wasn't listening to me)....and then comes out with the following:

Sam: You know mom, me, S & A are really popular at school.
Me: Oh you are. That's good. What about the other girls in your class?
Sam. Nope. They aren't
Me: Why
Sam: Because they aren't in our group.

Oy Vey!!!

So then I got to explain about how they didn't have to be in her group to be popular, they could be in their own group. I'm glad she's self-confident, something I wasn't growing up. Here I am so worried about her possibly being bullied that I never stopped to think she might be the bully. Her teacher assured me last night though that Sam is happy to play with everybody and openly welcomes anybody into their play group. Thank goodness! But now I know we have to keep that conversation going.

Oh and apparently Lu is thriving being in preschool without her sister. So much so that they can't get her to be quiet. Even during library time. While the librarian is reading. Hopefully the newness of having her own voice will even out soon. Or it will be a long year for her teachers.