Thursday, September 04, 2008
Finally a Kindergartener!
Yeah!! Benjamin started Kindergarten yesterday! Kindergarten students started school a week later than the rest of the students to allow the teachers the opportunity to meet the students during “home visits.” They reason is that it helps the new students adjust better if they meet their teachers in one-on-one settings in their own homes. However, since Benjamin was traveling with Matt and his folks that week, his teacher invited him to meet her during the few hours he was in town the Sunday that Zachary and MacKenzie arrived.
How did it go? He didn’t speak a single word to her. Talk about a stubborn streak! He helped her put together one of the table caddies with crayons, pencils and glue, and pointed to several things when asked a question...but he refused to talk. When we left, he assured me he’d use his voice on his first day of school.
The schools in this community are part of a pilot program where only half of the kindergarteners go on the first day, and the other half go on the second day. Again, this is designed so it isn’t as overwhelming for them on the first day of school. I think it’s beneficial for the teachers as well -- so they’re not as overwhelmed either. So, Benjamin’s first day of school was Wednesday.
I gave him the choice of riding the bus or having me drive him (since I made the same offer to the other two), and he opted to ride the bus. He was ready to walk to the bus stop a half hour early -- bus pass already around his neck, telling me it was time to go!
When it was finally time to go, Benjamin had to carefully walk around some mud on the way. I can see this stretch of the path becoming a potential problem since he avoids mud at all costs -- probably his only quirk that doesn’t fit his “all boy” personality!
Since all three kids ride the same bus, we walked Zachary and MacKenzie to the bus stop Tuesday morning so Benjamin would know what to expect -- and it was a bright, sunny day. However, Wednesday morning was dreary and rainy. Benjamin also brought out his stubborn streak again, and refused to pose for a first-day-of-school photo. Zachary tried to get him to cooperate (“Let Mommy get just one picture -- that’s just what she does.”), but to no avail. Benjamin even got upset at me when I snapped off a few photos showing his face...and at one point he even stopped walking to the bus stop in protest! Grr!
All three kids had to stop and inspect the numerous slugs along the way -- almost every single slimy slug. Yes, there were a lot. When MacKenzie pointed out two slugs side-by-side, Benjamin had to walk back to make sure he hadn’t missed any. Hmmm, they may have to leave an extra five minutes early on rainy mornings so they have ample time to look at all the slugs and still catch the bus!
And here’s my baby getting on the bus. No, we don’t have big yellow school buses here in Germany, so the green Reith’s Reisen bus will have to suffice for the next three years. Well, this year at least -- our neighborhood has so many students that three buses stop here to pick up kids. However, they all pull up to the stop at least a third full, so I think the routes converge just before our stop and they’re trying to fill up all the remaining seats before the final leg of the journey to school (we’re the last bus stop in the morning).
Here are my boys coming home yesterday afternoon. Yes, I was at home -- waiting for a repairman (who showed up five hours late!) -- so I was able to greet Benjamin and hear all about his first day of school. And, yes, he talked to his teacher! So, why is Benjamin coming home immediately after school? Even though I’m a single mom, which (theoretically) moves my kids to the top of the priority list for after-school child care, there weren’t any openings for Benjamin. So, I placed his name on the wait-list back in June and planned for him and Zachary to ride the bus home together until a slot came open (since Zachary’s old enough to babysit -- and has taken the Red Cross Babysitters Course as well as the Child & Infant CPR Certification). But, the good news is that Wednesday morning I received the call letting me know Benjamin has made it to the top of the list! Yeah! He starts going to the after-school program on Monday. As much as he looks up to Zachary (most times), I think the activities there will be much more fun and stimulating than staying home with his big brother.
How did it go? He didn’t speak a single word to her. Talk about a stubborn streak! He helped her put together one of the table caddies with crayons, pencils and glue, and pointed to several things when asked a question...but he refused to talk. When we left, he assured me he’d use his voice on his first day of school.
The schools in this community are part of a pilot program where only half of the kindergarteners go on the first day, and the other half go on the second day. Again, this is designed so it isn’t as overwhelming for them on the first day of school. I think it’s beneficial for the teachers as well -- so they’re not as overwhelmed either. So, Benjamin’s first day of school was Wednesday.I gave him the choice of riding the bus or having me drive him (since I made the same offer to the other two), and he opted to ride the bus. He was ready to walk to the bus stop a half hour early -- bus pass already around his neck, telling me it was time to go!
When it was finally time to go, Benjamin had to carefully walk around some mud on the way. I can see this stretch of the path becoming a potential problem since he avoids mud at all costs -- probably his only quirk that doesn’t fit his “all boy” personality!
Since all three kids ride the same bus, we walked Zachary and MacKenzie to the bus stop Tuesday morning so Benjamin would know what to expect -- and it was a bright, sunny day. However, Wednesday morning was dreary and rainy. Benjamin also brought out his stubborn streak again, and refused to pose for a first-day-of-school photo. Zachary tried to get him to cooperate (“Let Mommy get just one picture -- that’s just what she does.”), but to no avail. Benjamin even got upset at me when I snapped off a few photos showing his face...and at one point he even stopped walking to the bus stop in protest! Grr!
All three kids had to stop and inspect the numerous slugs along the way -- almost every single slimy slug. Yes, there were a lot. When MacKenzie pointed out two slugs side-by-side, Benjamin had to walk back to make sure he hadn’t missed any. Hmmm, they may have to leave an extra five minutes early on rainy mornings so they have ample time to look at all the slugs and still catch the bus!
And here’s my baby getting on the bus. No, we don’t have big yellow school buses here in Germany, so the green Reith’s Reisen bus will have to suffice for the next three years. Well, this year at least -- our neighborhood has so many students that three buses stop here to pick up kids. However, they all pull up to the stop at least a third full, so I think the routes converge just before our stop and they’re trying to fill up all the remaining seats before the final leg of the journey to school (we’re the last bus stop in the morning).
Here are my boys coming home yesterday afternoon. Yes, I was at home -- waiting for a repairman (who showed up five hours late!) -- so I was able to greet Benjamin and hear all about his first day of school. And, yes, he talked to his teacher! So, why is Benjamin coming home immediately after school? Even though I’m a single mom, which (theoretically) moves my kids to the top of the priority list for after-school child care, there weren’t any openings for Benjamin. So, I placed his name on the wait-list back in June and planned for him and Zachary to ride the bus home together until a slot came open (since Zachary’s old enough to babysit -- and has taken the Red Cross Babysitters Course as well as the Child & Infant CPR Certification). But, the good news is that Wednesday morning I received the call letting me know Benjamin has made it to the top of the list! Yeah! He starts going to the after-school program on Monday. As much as he looks up to Zachary (most times), I think the activities there will be much more fun and stimulating than staying home with his big brother.Labels: Benjamin, MacKenzie, Zachary
