Well, That Went Well (note sarcasm)

Today was Bubby's Kindergarten Orientation. It 's so nice how our school has this whole morning set up for the newest set of elementary kids to get acquainted with "big school."

First, you walk right into a big gymnasium filled with other parents and new Kindergartners. Then each child gets assigned a color so your child can be put in a group. Then the groups go off with a sweet teacher to do a craft, see the classrooms, the music and art rooms, the library and just get used to walking in line and such.

I really thought I was pretty much an old pro at this. My daughter did the same thing 3 1/2 years ago. We walked in, she got into her group and waved goodbye with a big smile as she headed off to find out just what this Kindergarten was all about. She came back excited with a beautiful craft. This is pretty much how she deals with anything in life.

Flash Forward to today.

Bubby:

• Hates crafts.
• Dislikes crowds.
  
• Not so sure he ever wants to leave preschool.
• Had an issue with some socks this morning. No, it was Not Me that dumped his entire drawer of socks out so he would just pick one pair that "felt" right.

• It was raining really hard this morning and COLD.

So, the morning started off with the sock issue. We got that settled and then headed out to his orientation.

Me with a big hopeful smile: "Are you excited?"
Bubby: "Kinda nervous."
Me: "Oh, why? Mom will be right there?"
Bubby: " I don't know." Is this typical male behavior or what?
Me trying to convince both of us: "You are going to be just fine."

We had to park far away from the school and it was raining. He went to put on his jacket and the sleeve is wet for some reason. He is sad about this, won't wear it and wants me to carry him into the school. We are both soaking wet by the time we get in there. I can see by this point that this might not go well.

We get in the school gym which is packed. More than I even expected. He clings to me as I try to write out nametags and tears are welling up in his eyes. I asked him to pull it together and he did. Then his group is the first called to head out with the teacher - without me.

Well, he was not having any part of that. So, I said I would hold his hand until we got to the classroom and then I had to come back for the parent meeting part of the of the orientation.

He would not let me go. The teacher literally had to pull my 5 year old child from my arms as I walked away. Not. Good.

He seriously has never in his life done that.

So, off to the meeting I go with my mother's guilt riding right along.

Not 5 minutes later they bring him to me. Big puffy red eyes and sniffling. Poor guy.
"We tried," was the teacher's response. I think she was a bit frustrated with him.

I really should have known not to leave him like that. He is pretty strong willed and the mom's intuition in me told me that I would most likely be seeing him very shortly after I left.

I made him sit with me through the rest of the meeting and when we left, I asked him why he got so upset. He said it was because he did not know anybody and he wanted to go back to preschool. Then later he was telling me all the people he saw from his preschool and church that he knew. Um-kay. Not sure what to make of that.

So, here we are and not off to a good feeling about going to Kindergarten.

I am hoping the Teacher Meet and Greet in July goes better.
Maybe we will pick out his socks the night before.