First day!

It seemed we were the only ones whose uncle also came along for the first day, with a videocamera. We did the photo of Tyler in his first day of school shirt (featuring the Fibonacci spiral), and some family pictures as well.

The walk to school had never seemed longer, but it still only took seven minutes from door to door. We were among the first to arrive, a few minutes early, and then everyone else showed up. On day one, the backpack is heavy. He's carrying brand new running shoes, a raincoat, and a full set of extra clothes to leave in his cubby (really just a labelled hook, as I later saw at pick-up).

The lines formed up for the two kindergarten classes, and he started to look apprehensive, but then walked through the door when it was his turn. It would have been nice to follow him in and check things out, but that's not what happens on the first day of school. As of today, we are now his co-teachers, and his teachers are now 'in loco parentis.'

It's a good thing I head off to work, so I don't how he's doing for the next 6.5 hours.

At pick-up, we watch an entire class parade out in line, and sit quietly within the fenced area to wait for dismissal. His class is dismissed at the door, one at a time as the teachers make eye contact with waiting parents and release them. Tyler is one of the last to leave, gathering up his water bottle, shouldering his backpack, handing on to his fire engine thermal lunch bag. I see that he has the weekly "shuttle" in his backpack, and a duo-tang folder which will hold his weekly poems.

As we head home, he's tired, and takes some breaks, but keeps on with our urging. We pepper him with questions, until finally we decide we will concentrate on just walking. He's receptive, but it's also unseasonably warm out.

I let him settle in with a snack of chicken nuggets and edamame and clementine slices, as well as cookies from his lunch. I find it oddly reassuring to read through and complete the paperwork, on medical information, identifying who will do the pick-ups (and approved alternates), emergency contact information, on dismissal from school for lunch or supervised lunch at school, a blanket permission form for local walks, pizza day order forms, school merchandise, available a la carte hot lunch options, reminders of a peanut-free school, information on the first parent council meeting, school closure (snow day) procedure, a calendar of PA days and holidays, how to call in for absences or late arrivals, and a pamphlet for insurance. I sign him up for four single-slice pizza lunches in the next two months, and a school T-shirt.

I notice he raises his left arm high and waits to be acknowledged while speaking. Evidently, this is a key thing to learn on day one. I tell him he doesn't have to do it at home, but he says he wants to. He seems a little more assertive when ordering his sister not to do something, or when he runs to get her a toy, so she doesn't play with his. I think it's a good thing for him to have peers, but it does mean that the 22 month gap between him and his sister may grow larger, at least until she has her own first day of school.

We talk more about school during his bath time, which I am finding is a time when he's ready to disclose information, to confide, and to be at ease. He smiles when he names his teachers. He says there is another student in his class with the same name - I'm not sure if he is pretending or if it's true. He's lucky to have started on a Friday, so he has two days to enjoy a weekend, before a full school week.

It's interesting to see all the institutional paperwork and process, in which he is one kid of many. I'm used to seeing him as the unique individual he is, not as one of a class or collective. I look forward to seeing what his teachers say about him.

Of those waiting to pick up, we have exchanged some pleasantries and smiles, but in a way, we could wait to see what friendships form among the children before we then make the connection to the families. The kids take the lead, in this case.

Looking forward to day 2, and 3, and so on!