Kindergarten Registration

Tomorrow I register Lily for kindergarten. She doesn't start until early August. I feel like I have been kicked in the gut. I sure am going to miss that little girl when she is off spreading her sunshine at school.

Friday I was able to go to a luncheon for the base spouses group. I was lucky enough to be seated next to two ladies who currently have kindergarteners at the school Lily will attend. I got the scoop. Lots of volunteer opportunities. Both moms were very pleased with the school.

Lily has been doing great at our playgroups. They are designed like a pre-school program where mom stays but the teacher conducts stories, songs, crafts, etc. At first listening to another adult was a new concept for Lily to say the least. Now she is understanding what is expected of her and able to participate. I am able to sit in the back and visit with the other moms while Lily does her thing with the kids and teacher. I hope that will translate to a good kindergarten experience, having never been to pre-school. I signed Lily up for swim lessons this summer and we will not be able to attend the playgroups in June or July. I wonder if this is going to be a good idea or if it will cause her to lose some of her progress in the sitting and listening department? Hopefully swim lessons will be an opportunity to listen as well. Once she learns to swim I am hoping to talk Jeff into a pool. Cross your fingers. I guess I am just worrying too much after all it is only kindergarten.

The moms I spoke with were telling me about how advanced the curriculum is this year for kindergarten. The things they are learning are the same as kids used to learn in first grade just a few short years ago. The moms said the kids were learning to spell words like truck and learning to add 7 + 8. I was thinking Lily is already at that level. Perhaps that is a good thing. I sometimes get concerned that she will be bored in school because I have worked with her at home so much. But, now I am thinking that she will have the opportunity to develop some maturity, some social skills, some listening and cooperating skills. It might have been too much to expect her to learn the curriculum and the social all at once.

Having a child who will be a senior in high school next year I shouldn't be so worried about kindergarten. I do realize that it is not really going to effect her entire life. I just hope that Lily will have a positive experience because she is such a happy lovely girl and I hate to see her be miserable. I really need to quit borrowing trouble, over thinking everything and worrying. It is just so hard to think about taking this next step. Wasn't she just born?