For the Record...

Today someone asked me what the hardest thing has been about starting the new school year.  I had to answer that the hardest thing has been trying to remember all the things that I use to know about school.  Such as how I had to remind myself that preschoolers who come to school for the first time can't really be expected to know anything.

When I was talking to my mom about this recently, she said that my dad always told her that she should keep some kind of a "Back to School Journal" one year to note how the kids transition into the new year.  Then, he suggested, she could refer to it over the ensuing years to remind herself, "Oh, yes, they always act this way when they're just two weeks into school".  Sort of a way to make sure you are keeping your expectations realistic.

The person who asked me what the hardest thing was liked this idea, but then said, "But who has the time?"

Well, today I do, so here is Day #7:

Here are a few ratings from Day #7.  The scale is from  1 - 10, with 10 being the best ever, and 1 being how it looked on the first day of school: 

Walking in a line - 4
Sitting and listening to a story - 7 (it was a good story)
Keeping hands to self  -  2

Number of kids lying on carpet at any given time when they should have been sitting up - 8/24
Number of kids repeatedly shrieking and grunting instead of communicating with words - 4/24

Note to future self about Day #7:  Remember to do those regular routine tasks that you might be out of practice with.  For example, be quick to count your children every time you leave or enter a room or space.   Do not assume that your associate teacher or aide are counting.  Getting yourself back in this practice will ensure (hypothetically speaking) that you know exactly how many children you have with you at all times.   Which will prevent you from being shocked and horrified to discover that one of your flock have somehow managed to wander from your "4 out of 10" class line and join some bypassing older kids, as a result wandering on the blacktop for several-plus minutes until being discovered by the recess teachers.  This small, yet helpful practice will also prevent the principal of the school bringing Wandering Child to the playground, thus witnessing your surprise to find one of your children missing.

Yep, I'm definitely going to read over that next year.