Greycinations: First Day, First Grade

Today was Greyson's first day of first grade. First grade in a new school. We have been waiting for this day all summer. The morning was as expected...chaotic. Boy was great, dressed and fed in 15 min. I was the one having the hard time. Between first grade morning photos, and doing our first car pool of the year (Greyson's friend Jaylyn rode with us to school today), we barely made it to school on time. I felt like I lost five years of my life on the commute. It was a two hour day, so the parents attended a welcome reception in the gym where every extracurricular activity and parent-organized event set up information booths. It was truly amazing to see, all in one place, what this new school has to offer. I am so excited for this year ahead.

The worry of sending your kid to school wanes with ever passing year. It was definitely easier to watch him disappear into the school building this time, but, throw in the "new kid" factor and I felt like I was back in kindergarten again. My heart just ached for my little boy as I watched what Roque and I call his "processing" face. Lots more kids today than there were at summer school, and he was taking it all in. A nice thing about summer is being able to keep your baby at home safe in a cocoon of love and good intention. Today I had to send him back into the real world where kids are mean, and life is far from fair. I find watching my child trying to navigate the dangerous world of human relationships one of the most painful parts of parenthood. As Elizabeth Stone so famously put it, having children "is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."

Finally, through a serendipitous maze of unexpected events, we have bid farewell to the public school system and committed once and for all to a school of our choice. I couldn't be happier with where we have landed. Can't wait to invest in a new community. Can't wait to volunteer in class. Can't wait to get to know his teacher. Can't wait to watch my son grow.