School Days

For many households, this time of year brings excitement, apprehension and a whole myriad of feelings. It’s back to school time. Growing up it was that way for me as September approached. Generally we were excited about going back to school, seeing our friends, getting a new teacher. We always got a new outfit for at least the first day, and a new notebook, pencils, paper – everything all brand new!!! The Pirela household was no different.  The approaching new school year meant getting ready, physically and mentally for another year. I had heard lots of horror stories about children and the first day of school but for me, each child took their turn going to school for the first time, without much fanfare. I thought I would have trouble with Nayda in particular, since she was the youngest. I remember pulling up on the first day and getting her out of the car equipped with bookbag, lunch and all. As we waited online with the other children a little boy started performing for the entire school yard, wailing and crying. I remember seeing the embarrassment on his mother’s face as she tried her best to control him. Of course that little boy would have to be in Nayda’s class. There she stood just looking at him like he had lost his mind. There was absolutely no way that she was going to perform like that. She was shy and quiet, (remember she was the child that didn’t talk until she was 3). I could see the angst on her face and I could tell she was fighting back tears but she never would cry in public. I could see her from the car as I waited for the teacher to take them all inside. Outbreaks of tears starting from various children as the one little boy got louder and louder in his opposition to leaving his mother. I was so proud that my child wasn’t acting up. I had sent all of the children to pre-school so they were familiar with the whole process.

It had only been a few short years before that that I remember dropping Maya off for her first day in lst grade. She too, had gone through pre-school, and even kindergarten. My brave little girl who had even managed to walk a few blocks by herself to school as a kindergartener was now a big first grader. We took special care in getting everything just right for the first day. She would be attending the same school where she had gone to kindergarten. That first year in Maryland was difficult with Maya and Yamil going to different schools. In the afternoons I would put Nayda in the little red wagon and walk to pick up Maya from school and then rush back to get Yamil from the bus stop. It wasn’t until the next year that I was able to have all the children at the same school. That was much easier because I didn’t have to make multiple trips and since they went to a private school, they wore uniforms. That way we didn’t have to worry about the latest this or that in terms of clothes. I’m definitely in favor of uniforms for school. It’s always a shocker to me as I see a lot of the children today going to school dressed much too casual for me.  It’s almost as if they are going to the park. I believe that the way you dress, dictates your mindset. I believe you have to have the right attitude in order to be ready to learn. Therefore, there should be a clear a distinct difference between “play time dress” and “school time dress”.  But I digress….I let Maya pick her outfit, I had combed her hair being careful to put it in a style that she liked.  As we approached the new classroom and went inside to find her desk, I was confident that she would enjoy her first day of first grade. She would get to meet new friends as well as see some familiar faces from her kindergarten class. I was the proud mom, escorting my child to her seat. I’ll tell you for all those who don’t know – life has a way of handling proud folks! As I turned to leave the classroom my child started wailing, clinging and screaming to the top of her lungs for me not to leave her. Imagine my surprise! This was not the first time she was going to school! The teacher came over and told me just to leave her and she would be fine. I went just outside of the classroom and waited to hear if she had settled down…..five minutes……..ten minutes……….15minutes – OMG she was still wailing!!!! One of the other mothers was standing outside with me. There I stood trying to convince her that I wasn’t a terrible mother. I couldn’t believe how she was performing!! How could this possibly be my child? I stood there in total shock saying to myself, maybe I should re-think that whole “home schooling” thing. One thing for sure is that children can be totally irrational and at best, very unpredictable.