Kindergarten Cop

Yesterday Evening there was a Welcome Party for next fall's kindergarten class. It was special, because this is the Very First kindergarten class the school has Ever had. Every child was invited, along with parents, to come and listen to a band play some songs and to be introduced to the teachers, and manybe meet some classmates.

It was a great idea. The only issue was... well, the huge gym full of four and five-year-olds. The band started playing, and right away kids started "dancing." In all of it's many forms. A few families in the front paid attention to the band, which was actually a great group of three white haired gentlemen in tie-dyed T's. But most of the other parents were chatting about kids, about the school, etc. Nick and a few boys from his class at school were running back and forth doing some version of tag/dance/karate. This took up the entire length of the gym. Meanwhile, a group of ten or twelve girls wearing pretty dresses were all holding hands and slowly walking around the perimiter of the gigantic room.

I looked around and started getting nervous. There were so many kids. The teachers all seemed realy nice. I just... I worry about Nick fitting in socially. His kindergarted won't have a recess time, so he won't get play time with other kids. Meanwhile, there are so many. He left his school frends and just started running around the room again and again. When the band stopped he stood there across the crowded room looking lost and confused until he saw me waving.

I thought about how nervous he must be, going to a new school, having to make new friends, being resposible for learning things... If I am nervous for him, I thought, he must be terrified of all the unknowns out there.

As we were walking back to the car he held my hand. "Did you have fun?" I asked. He nodded. But he was being very quiet. Then, finally, he said "Mom, can I ask a question?"

"Of course!" I almost shouted. "You can ask me anything!" I was sure he would start opening up and I was all ready to reassure him about school. I looked at him, all geared up. Would he ask about friends? Teachers? Circle time? Reading? What would it be?

"Mom, when we get our next car, can it be a Subaru?"

Yeah... so maybe I AM more worried than he is.