The week before Jade started kindergarten was Labor Day. That worked out perfectly for us to leave Ridge home with Daddy and have a special mommy-daughter day in preparation for the first day of school!
We started out with a haircut. Jade’s hair was super long, and no matter how many trims she seemed to get, I still felt like it still looked stringy. Her hair is really fine and would tangle easily too, so by mid-day it always looked unkempt and snarly. She was fine getting a haircut until she had to sit still so long and became real bored, real quick. After all, this was supposed to be our FUN day out!
We had three inches cut off and added a few layers. I think we may finally have cut off all the fine baby hair. As a result, her hair looks so much healthier and is SO much easier to brush! I am loving it.
Next, we went shopping for school supplies and new clothes. Jade is really tall and slender, so I really wanted to try the clothes on her to get a good fit. To be honest, after only having H&M in Hong Kong, I really wasn’t sure what size she was exactly. Trying on skirts and dresses and everything else in her very own dressing room was the perfect activity for this girly-girl. She was in absolute heaven!
We took a break from shopping and hit the food court for lunch. Of course, Jade chose a place with a chicken nuggets kids meal. When we were done shopping, she wanted to ride the helicopter on the way out of the mall.
A week later, I woke up anxious to make sure Jade’s first day of kindergarten went smoothly. Jade? Not so much. I don’t need an alarm clock because my kids wake me up plenty early. She has always woke up around 6:30 a.m., even through the summer. On the first day of school? I actually had to wake her up!
Once she was up, she was excited and cooperative. She even put together a first day outfit from the new clothes we bought.
Beautiful, buuuut I rearranged a few things to get her in an outfit that was actually meant to be put together. She was okay with it; she thought it was lovely. Pretty soon we were dressed and ready for the obligatory first day of school pictures.
We had to snap a few with cute little brother too! (We ended up changing her shoes, because we realized she was going to have P.E. that day.)
The school has very organized drop-off procedures. Parents are to drive the car to a certain spot where school faculty are waiting to assist kids as they simply jump out of the car and walk into the school. I was nervous about how to do this. This being my first time having an elementary school child, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was supposed to do on the first day either! As we approached the school, I asked Jade if she wanted me to park and walk her in. She told me no and to simply drop her off. I was hesitant, but I pulled the car around to the drop-off area and she hopped out and headed into the school.
Up until this point, I hadn’t felt emotional about her starting school. I drove away slowly and watched her walk like a big girl down the sidewalk, wondering if she really knew where she was going, if she’d find her classroom…and it hit me. The tears started to come. This was my little girl. And she was growing up. I wasn’t going to be with her all the time anymore. I’m not the sentimental type, so I never understood why moms were so emotional about their kids starting school. I didn’t think I would be that way, but I was. And now I understand as I wiped tears away.
Once I got back onto the street, I noticed all the parents walking their kids up to the school. Then I started feeling guilty. Why didn’t I just park and walk her in? What if she wanders the school trying to find her classroom and gets scared and it ruins her first day? I’m a horrible mom. I felt so naïve; I didn’t know what I was doing or what I was supposed to do with my first child on the first day!! We still had time before school started. I turned the car around, found a place to park, and Ridge and I hustled up to the kindergarten doors. I was relieved to find Jade lined up outside with her class, smiling and chatting with the other kids.
She was surprised, but happy, to see us as I explained we missed her so we came back! Seeing her again, so excited and so comfortable in her element, eased my emotions and I was okay to let her go.
Now I know what a parent is supposed to do on the first day. Just look at that supportive group behind their kindergarteners, smiling, waving, and picture-taking! We may not get to be with you 24/7, but we will be cheering you on, wherever you go. I love you so much, my beautiful, little kindergartener!
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