Venice Starts First Grade

Venice has begun First Grade. Wow. The days leading up to school we talked a lot about all the old friends she would be seeing again. She seemed to be a bit nervous, but not too bad. We were all excited for a successful first day. And it was! She walked right into her classroom, found a seat and was great when we hugged and kissed goodbye. Yay!


















The next two days followed similarly. On Friday (school started on a Wednesday), I got a call from the school that she had a sore throat and wanted to come home. It was only a few hours before the end of school and I knew that Strep Throat was going around the classroom, so I didn't think anything about it. Picked her up, went to see the Dr. just in case. Enjoyed our weekend.


















Then, on Monday, I was across town and got a call just before lunch time, that Venice was in the office crying and wanting to come home. I think she was claiming her tooth coming in was hurting. I drove to the school in a huff, with mixed feelings. I realized that she was starting to manipulate the system, that she probably wasn't sick on Friday, that she's not really sick right now, that she just doesn't want to be at school. Here we go again.

So, I drove to school swearing into the air, frustrated, angry. I brought Motrin with me and found Venice in the office. I gave her the medicine, just in case her gums really did hurt. Then we proceeded to talk. I asked her what was really going on. I finally got her to confess that she's sad in school. She missed her Kindergarten teacher, wasn't used to her new teacher yet and didn't like to be away from Mom for so long. She just wanted to be at home. At this point, my anger was gone and I was heart broken. I was sad it was so hard for her.

We talked about several issues. One, that she got used to her Kindergarten teacher, and that she would get used to her First Grade teacher as well. That it's boring at home and she'll have lots of fun things to do at school. And that it's the law, she has to be in school. After many minutes of tears, and her saying through a brave front, "I don't know how to stop crying." and then to, "I guess I can try." I walked her to her classroom, handed her off to the teacher with encouraging words, and walked away from my crying daughter.

I drove home in tears, myself.

When I picked her up from school, she was fine. She had been a little sad for a few minutes after I left, but had picked herself up, cheered up and the afternoon volunteers never knew anything had happened in the morning.

Phew. One week under our belts. We've had a few additional bumps in the road, one involving an owie on the hand and chocolate bribes to get back to class, but for the most part it's been smooth sailing and she's enjoying school now. Phew.