Today Hadley will go to a Kindergarten Sneak Peek at school. She will meet her teacher. She will see her classroom. These three short sentences are about all I have to say about the situation right now. There’s a lot of chaos going on inside of me just as there was almost six years ago when she was getting ready to enter the world.
I read an interview with John Casey in The Writer’s Chronicle recently and the interviewer, Nancy Bunge, asked him a question to which he replied: “Gosh. I’d have to think about that for a while. I can think of an answer to it right away, but I would have to think some more to get the real answer.” That’s what I’m thinking about Kindergarten.
So instead, I’m over somewhere else today. My friend Patrick was gracious (or crazy) enough to have me crash his blog this morning (a Top 10 Blog for Writers, mind you). He and I are in a writers group together and he, along with four other friends, encourage and guide me each month to make some sense out of the chaos and structure of my story telling. Would you mind reading that post until I can come up with an answer for Hadley starting Kindergarten? You can find it here.
I remember feeling that way when my daughter started Pre-K a couple of years ago, and a bit last year for Kindergarten. This year, we’re BOTH counting down the days to Grade 1! 🙂 (Not that I haven’t loved having her home this summer, but she’s the kind of kid that craves the extra interaction school brings.) I’m sure Hadley will love it, and have all sorts of wonderful new things to teach Harper!
Read your blog over on The Artist’s Road as well…great reminder!
Kelly, I think your daughter and my daughter would get along very well. Hadley was ready to go this morning….actually, I think she was ready to go since she was born. She’s just that kind of kid. She had a great time and loves her classroom and teacher. Can’t wait to go back!
After a very chaotic morning, I just poured a cup of coffee and sat down thinking, “I hope Callie wrote something.” And sho’nuf. You did. Thanks! The coffee, and the guest post, were excellent.
Andrea, this comment made my day. Thank you for stopping by. I am sipping some good coffee right now reading your lovely words. 🙂 Cheers!
Callie, I remember long ago when my daughter started school and I can relate to the chaos inside of you. I think I’ll be feeling the same thing when my 4-yr-old grandson starts school. I hope the day turned out to be good for you and Hadley.
(These things can be so much harder on the mother than on the child. ;))
I really enjoyed your post on Patrick’s blog. I love the visuals I’ve got in my mind of your daughters playing Lego. I learned a lot from their differing styles of play.
~ Milli
Hi Milli-
Thank you for your kind words both on Patrick’s blog and here! Hadley had a wonderful day and cannot wait to go back. I think you are correct – things things are much harder on the mother. 🙂 Thanks again for stopping by!
I’m a year behind you and will be in those shoes next year. In the mean time, I’m going to enjoy one more year of “chaos and structure” with two boys at home.
I have a hunch that there may be no answer for a first born child starting Kindergarten. It is what it is. And we moms adjust. Certainly, it sounds like your daughter will thrive in school.
“It is what it is.” Very true, Anita. And thank you for your kind words about Hadley thriving in school. I am more at peace because I think she is really going to love it.
Love it…thinking about it *and* chaos. A nice framework for life as well as writing!
Amen, Annie! 🙂
I thrive on structure, but life keeps tending toward chaos. I just keep trying to rescue as much structure as I can from each day. They usually have to co-exist.
Me too, Jennifer! It’s a hard lesson to admit chaos and structure co-exist. At least, for me anyway.