Later today, I will bring my four year old to the school we are thinking about putting her in next year for a “kindergarten assessment.” She’s an “on the bubble” kid – born eight hours past the cutoff in our state, tall, verbal, and already in preschool for two years. So methinks it will be time for kindergarten next year. Scary.
In short, I think she’s ready, her dad thinks she’s ready, and her preschool teacher thinks she’s ready. The question is whether or not the teacher who would be teaching her next year thinks she is. But for me, as for most parents, this is kind of bittersweet. Sending my precious sweet bright little girl off to “real school” all day with new kids and a new teacher and possibly even homework is scary – and did I mention I do not do well with change?
I know lots of us are going through this right now, with districts having kindergarten roundups right now. That’s why I found this essay from Siobhan Connally awfully sweet. She talks about how grown up her little girl suddenly seems, how excited to be a big kindergartener, and how going through the school’s checklist of what her child can do reminds her of what a great kid she is.
Of course, the daughter goes through the assessment just fine, while she and her husband develops some doubts about themselves. “I admitted to the smiling woman behind the desk that we have no doubt that you are ready for school and that you will do well. We are not worried about your abilities at all. I tell her we are the ones who are scared. We are the ones who will have trouble fitting in.”
Yes, exactly. I know my girl will be fine. Me? Not so sure about.
