Miss A's First Day

Although she had been up at school with me for over a week, Miss A was still very excited for her first official day. She was VERY excited to take her "pack-pack". And just HAD to bring her 'very-old-but-new-to-her' Cabbage Patch doll, (re-named because I had NO idea what her name was) Penny.
She was all grins as I took the traditional first day pics!



Sorry. I know this is WAY too bright, but it's the only pic I got. I had moms and kids already showing up in my room!


Although she is excited, I have mixed feeling this year. Last year I taught music and saw her every day. And I did not teach on a day that she didn't attend, so I didn't miss much with her at all.
This year, I have my own class. In a different building. And I teach on a day that she does not attend, so I don't even have that little "I might catch a glimpse of her on the playground" hope to hold on to.
I really think, that if I did not have to work right now, that I wouldn't even have her in preschool. Our 'little-playgroup-that-could' has grown so much and is doing so much more towards the homeschool preschool agenda, that I'm not at all concerned with her getting a "preschool education". And I know that this is really for the social aspect and exposure to structure for my kiddos anyway.
When I started Miss E in preschool (way back when!) it was just one day a week, and I didn't have a playgroup, or any friends really, that we were hanging with. We had just moved to Leander and I looked into preschool as an outreach to find some social time, I think.
So when it was time for Miss A to attend, I think it was more habit-plus the fact that a job opened up for me...it just made sense.
Not making as much sense this year, so far.
I'm enjoying my class-still sorting out the "rowdys" and establishing our routing, but we're having fun. And A does have a really neat teacher.
But I still hate that I'm missing the better part of 3 days each week with her. I'll settle into it, I'm sure.
In the meantime, Miss E is enjoying 1st grade, except for the "bunch of handwriting practice we have to do every day" part. :)
We had her Open House last night and it was about as informative as I should have expected. I sure hope when I go back to teaching that I remember what it feels like to be a parent left in the dark.
I think I'll set a conference w/the teacher next week for some one-on-one and try to get some questions answered. Sigh.
More later!