Promise

Tags

family, First day of school, fourth grade, granddaughters, Kindergarten, school, SCICON, The Kissing Hand

Was there ever a day more full of promise than the first day of school?  All those shiny scrubbed faces, new clothes, fresh backpacks and notebooks, ready to take on the challenges of a new school year.  And the questions asked by each child:  Will I make a new friend today?  Will the teacher like me?  Will I fit in?  Will I have fun?

Not just on the first day, but each day when I pick Lily up from school, I ask:  “What was the best thing that happened today, and what was the worst thing that happened?”  Typically Lily’s best thing involves reaching a goal or achieving a new level of learning, and her worst thing is known by the acronym BFP, or “Best Friend Problems”.  My hope for Lily this year is that the BFPs will lessen, based on the friends that are (and are not) in her class.

Her best thing today was discovering that she will be going to SCICON with the fifth graders in her class this year (she is in a 4-5 combo).  SCICON is  our local science camp in the mountains, and the fifth grades go for a one-day trip to tease them into wanting to go for a week in sixth grade.

Olivia’s teacher read them the story of The Kissing Hand, and they each drew a kissing hand to leave with their parents when they went to school.  That was her best thing about the day; she said there wasn’t a worst thing (although she told us she didn’t learn how to read today).  She discovered three children she knew in her Kindergarten class, and she really liked her teacher.

All dressed up and ready for fourth grade and Kindergarten. How quickly time flies!

Olivia got a special message from Mom in her new classroom.

I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow will bring.