Yeeeeehaw! It's Kindergarten Roundup Time!

Yesterday evening, J and I went to A's new elementary school for Kindergarten Roundup. I did just fine until the kindergarten teachers started reading, "Twas the Night Before Kindergarten," and I got a little teary-eyed. Ohhhhhhh for crying out loud (or perhaps should I say, Ohhhhhhhh for trying to cry all-inconspicuously and quiet-like). My first born is going to start that long legacy of S.C.H.O.O.L. *sniff**sniff*

It was a quick hour and a half (for me anyway...J was ready to go after about 40 minutes, so I'm sure the rest of the time dragged for him) of filling out forms (we didn't know to bring proof of residency, A's birth certificate or her Social Security Number, but luckily we DID bring our checkbook. Good-bye $70.00! Who knew?) and sitting in the cafeteria whilst listening to school bus options (we'll be driving, so it didn't really matter), the PTA president (maybe I'll be a huge volunteer...next year), the nurse (who went over the "Please don't bring your kids to school with a fever 99.9, vomiting and/or diarrhea bug and they must be symptom free for 24 hours" admonition), the secretary (ahhhhh, the power she must have. She'll let us know by June if we have AM or PM class...Go AM class!) and the three kindergarten teachers (who shared ideas to help get our kids ready for kindergarten and their school supply preferences. Big dry erase markers? Better for little hands to hold...good to know! Best markers? Crayola's because they are truer in color. Hmmmmm...hadn't thought about that, but they are sooooo right! Have conversations with your kids NOW...it'll help them in kindergarten. Heavens, I don't know if we can KEEP A and E and O quiet. Read, read, read to your children and take them to the library! At least I felt good about the last one).

I have to admit, I was soooooo happy after the Roundup that we had been sending our little darlings to the Baptist Preschool near J's work. It's been totally worth the investment! I'd like to think I'm the type of mom who is hands-on, working with her kids and engaging with them reading and doing crafts and music and science-y things daily, and who would have them all ready for Kindergarten by herself, but I know when I'm whupped...and I'm whupped.

I'm sooooooo GRATEFUL for such good preschool teachers, reasonable tuition that we can afford and a gradual buildup of time away from mom! Holy cow! SOOOOOO GRATEFUL! I mean, not only have they taught/supplemented the above mentioned things, but other life lessons such as helping the kids learn how to get the coats zipped up...heck! I'd probably still be doing A and E's because I'm faster (and, admittedly, a control freak) if it wasn't for our preschool teachers telling me to let them do it.

And I know that there are mom's who can and DO prepare on their own and I'm in awe of you. You are what I want to be when I grow up because it takes an enormous amount of effort. But until then, I'm grateful for the help we currently enjoy and for being able to go to Roundup and realize how blessed we've been.