Is This Normal?
The chaos that is the KerbersArchive for preschool
We just can’t wait!
Today when I picked Ben up from preschool, the first thing he said to me was, “Mommy, next time we come to preschool it’s our pumpkin party!” There was so much excitement in his voice, and he had one o f the biggest smiles I had ever seen. So I decided that we should try on our costumes tonight to make sure that everything was all set. As soon as I got the coats on each kid, they were crawling all over the floor roaring (that would be Emma the lion) and rawring (from Ben the panther) all over the place. It was hilarious.
While I’m not the biggest fan of Halloween, it is definitely fun to anticipate something with the kids. While Ems is still not really sure what’s going to happen Saturday night, Ben remembers it well and is just so psyched for the big event. Let’s hope that Mother Nature cooperates with us so we can have all the fun we think we will!
The preschool cookout and show
This evening Ben’s preschool had it’s fall festival. It involved a cookout, complete with a big bonfire and a potluck dinner and a show by three of the classes. I have no idea how the school could possibly organize such an event, but again you could tell that they’d been doing it for years…things ran like clockwork around that place.
Of course, in a classic case of good timing, Ali and her family pulled up right after us, so she and Ben were glued at the hip all night.
It was a beautiful evening and as soon as they were done eating all of the kids were running around the church yard like maniacs. Thank goodness it was outside! Emma was in seventh heaven to run around after the big kids, and it never even dawned on her that she was two steps behind at all times. I so love that about her.
Ben had been talking about practice for their show and how they were all going to stand on the stage and “do their song.” I really had no idea what to expect, but this is what we got:
It was so much fun…for the kids and the parents. Oh, and by the way, I’m not sure how Ben got stuck at the tall end of the line, but he’s not that much shorter than all of the other kids in his class!
Pigeon!
I took half of a personal day this afternoon so that I could go on a field trip with Ben. Pigeon Party! was at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts and Tomorrow’s Promise Learning Centre got to go. In my car was Ben and two other boys. Let me tell you, there is not much better than 4 yr. old conversation. At one point Ben told his little friends that we had the biggest house in the whole wide world. I got a big chuckle out of that one! I wish I would have taped them, because I can’t begin to replay it here.
We got to the Performing Arts Center and climbed the “millions” (Ben’s description) of steps to get into the theater. 
The timing was great, because as soon as we sat down the show started. We all loved the show. It was funny, the songs were super cute, and really, there’s nothing better than a show in which you can shout at the performers! I think the show really represented the books on which it was based really well.
Once the show was over, we walked back out to the van, stopping to pose for a picture 
on the steps of the Arts Center. After sitting in the darkness of the theater, the boys were blinded by the bright sunny day. We rode back to school, and my chaperoning duty was officially over. I even got an hour of free time before school was done, so I enjoyed some time to myself. Overall it was great use of half of a personal day. I’m so glad I was able to go…both because I loved the show and because I could tell Ben loved having me there. It was awesome.
A banner day
Today when we got home from school the kids were playing and I unpacked Ben’s backpack. I pulled out a paper that was about the number two. It said, “Color two clowns” and he had scribbled over them completely. It said, “Trace the number 2″ and he had traced the dotted twos at the bottom of the page. It was really his first real academic paper, which was cool. But that wasn’t the exciting part. At the top of the page there was a big E in tentative wavy lines with a super skinny and rather tall B to the left of it. 
Ben had written two out of the three letters of his name! There were also scribbles on both sides of them, like he had tried to write the N, too.
“Ben,” I said, “What is this letter at the top of your paper?”
“Its a E,” he said, “I maked it all by myself. And the B is by it for B-E-N.” He had a super big smile on his face.
Words can’t really describe how proud of him I was. Two weeks ago I was panicked about writing letters at all, and now he’s already 2/3 of the way to writing his name. I’ve been proud of his accomplishments in the past, but this was one of the best feelings I’ve had in a long time. Way to go, Ben!
It’s a yellow day
Today was yellow day at preschool. You would think that would be cause for great celebration to have a special day already, but alas, it again caused Mommy preschool stress. Ben did not own a single article of clothing that is yellow. The closest thing we had is a black t-shirt that has the Batman symbol on it in yellow. I didn’t think that would do the trick, so of course I was off to find him something cheap and yellow to wear to school.
Here’s the real gist of the problem…almost anything made for a boy in yellow includes navy blue, and I just can NOT put my son in Michigan colors. I know, I know…it may seem ridiculous to many of you, but for me it’s a real commitment of hatred to all things maize and blue. Blech! So, really, it’s just easier to avoid yellow clothes at all costs. Thankfully, after only three stores, I found (on clearance at Target) a dark yellow t-shirt with dark gray lettering that said “Camping” and had a red tent on it. Perfect.
Thankfully, my preschool stress was relieved rather quickly again. I’m not sure I can handle this kind of constant pressure. I need to relax about this school, or I won’t make it through first semester!!
My preschool fears have been calmed…for now
Ben actually wrote the letter ‘a’ today. I can’t believe that statement is true, but it is. He first said, “I can’t write a letter” when I suggested he copy what was on the board and told him it was an ‘a’. But then we went up to the board and I showed him that a small ‘a’ was really just a circle with a line next to it. So back we went to the journal and I said, “So let’s just try…start with a circle”. And he did. Then I said, “Now just put a line going up and down next to it.” And he did that, too. And by golly, it kind of looked like an ‘a’. I was so excited. We moved on to the capital ‘A’ next. He started with the cross bar, and then we worked (pretty hard) on the uprights. It was pretty sad-looking, but he was thrilled with it. He got a huge smile on his face and I could tell that he had even surprised himself. He really wrote a letter.
After we wrote, I talked to Mrs. Tully and she reassured me that it was fine if Danielle just dropped him off as long as she could walk him in. She also said that it was fine that he could not write any letters because they started with simple letters and they would work with him. What a relief. She then said, “I guess I should have put that in the letter.” Uh…yeah…guess so!!
So for now I’ll relax again…until the next thing gets me all freaked out!
Yay…preschool!
This afternoon Ben started back to Tomorrow’s Promise preschool. 
Thankfully I got to take him, as my conference period falls at exactly the right time. He was really excited to go. Even though we were all worried that it would be difficult for him to go to class without Ali, I think it was kind of special for him to go alone. He had a big smile on his face as we walked into the building. He even happily posed for some pictures without any complaints!
When I picked him up at 3:30 he happily bounded into the van and gave a big, “Mommeeeee” shout. It seemed that the afternoon had gone really well and he loved it. Of course he couldn’t tell me anything they did, but it was all fun. 
Then I read the note the teacher gave me when I picked him up. Let me quote it for you…
“Your child will hang up their backpack/coat. As they enter the classroom, they should stop at the closet with the blue smiley face on it and find their art box. They are then to find their journal. Their names will be located on the front of the journal.
Located on the top of the white board, next to the teacher chair, will be our ‘word of the day’. Parents, this is where we need your help! If you could help your child get started with the word, it would be greatly appreciated. When they are finished with the word, they may draw a picture.”
Ok, seriously…I am now officially freaking out about Pre-K!! Not only can Ben not write a single letter, he really can’t even draw any pictures. Who knew it would be this academic this soon…it was the first day for goodness sakes!! In addition, Danielle is taking Ben to preschool with three other kids in tow. She certainly can’t take the time to come in and help him get started writing. I’m grateful enough that she’s willing to take him at all! I don’t know how any of this is going to work out. For now, I’m planning to take Ben on Thursday so I can talk to his teacher, Mrs. Tully. Hopefully she’ll be able to put my mind at ease.
Man, this preschool thing is stressful. How in the world am I going to handle real school??
Back to school for Ben
Tomorrow’s Promise, Ben’s preschool, had their Open House tonight. We all went and got Ben all registered to head back to school next Tuesday. He’s very excited to go back, although he was not happy to hear that he’d have a different teacher this fall. Mrs. Hopkins was his teacher this summer, and he loved her. Now, of course I know he will love Mrs. Tully, his new teacher, just as much. But as always with Ben, he has to warm up to an idea before he’s fully on board.
This year he’ll be in a 4 Pre-K class. It’s a program intended for students who will be going to Kindergarten next year. Even though I’m not sure if we’ll send him to school next year, I thought this was a good program for him. I really hope that he’ll have a lot of academic advancement in a short time. I know he’s only 4, but I’m already concerned that he doesn’t want to learn to write his name, or even consider learning his letters. Although, I have to admit I was surprised the other day when he recognized most of the numbers in a book we were looking at together. I had no idea he knew them, but he got all but 9 correct. Pretty impressive.
Most of all, I really hope that Ben loves going to school as much as he did last year and this summer. Whether he starts Kindergarten next year or not, I hope that love of school will be something he has forever.
Playdate craziness
Today we brought Ali home from preschool with us. Her mom had to take her brother to a doctor’s appointment in Peoria, so she was asking us for a favor, but it was a great opportunity to have her over for a play date. The pick-up went great. It was actually a lot of fun listening to them chatter with each other in the backseat. We came back here and I made lunch. That all went really well, too. The three kids (Ben, Ali and Emma) all ate well and again they chatted between each other. It was so cute. Then, everything changed.
After lunch we went outside to play. Three different times in the next hour or so, Ben had hysterical screaming fits and ended up back in the house on the couch. I felt badly disciplining him when his friend was here, but he was acting very inappropriately and I just didn’t feel like I could let it go. All three fits were because of something really tiny…and all of them basically centered around him not getting his way. It was super ugly behavior, and I hated it. Luckily, Emma was having a grand time with Ali here, and the two of them were getting along famously.
I hate these kinds of parental decisions. I obviously know that I couldn’t just let him have a tantrum and then get his way. But man, it killed me to have him crying so hard when this should have been a fun play date. The thing is, when Ali’s mom came to pick her up there was another crying fit because he didn’t want her to leave. I thought that four was supposed to be better than three. Ugh…you can’t win for losing with this parenting thing.
The field trip
This morning Ben’s preschool went on a field trip to the Post Office and thenthe mail sorting station in Bloomington. They have been talking about “community helpers” all summer, and they had even prepared a letter to mail when they got there. He was very excited to dress in his “school shirt” and go on a field trip! I sent him with his envelope containing $.44 for a stamp, and he was off.
When I picked him up at the end of preschool I was full of questions for him.
Me: How was your trip? Did you have fun?
Ben: Yeah!
M: What did you guys do?
B: I don’t really know what we did on either of our field trips. (Apparently since they went two different places that counted as two field trips in his mind.)
M: Did you mail a letter?
B: No.
M: Didn’t you buy a stamp and then put it on the letter and put it in the mailbox?
B: No.
B: Oh, I know one thing we did…we got to get in a big truck. It had a little garbage in it.
M: Wow…cool. Do they use that truck to carry letters around?
B: No.
M: Anything else you can remember about your trip?
B: Ummm…I rided in a black car.
And there you have it…a detailed description of Ben’s first official field trip! I know they did mail a letter, so I’ll be excited to receive it in the mail. Hopefully that will spark some memory for him. You just gotta love his attention to detail…:)
