My Ruby Red Slippers: Micah Goes to School

a.k.a. Mommy Scares the Preschoolers

Okay, so I probably wasn't that bad...I hope. Micah, my little big boy, officially started Preschool yesterday and I may or may not have had a mini meltdown that may or may not have been in front of his class and may or may not have involved me driving down the wrong side of the road for an undetermined period of time, sobbing my eyes out. Maybe.

Okay, the truth is, I started bawling all over his poor, wonderful teacher, Miss Carissa, and she, being such a great teacher, reassured me that he would be loved on, cared for, and that she would be the sobbing mess by the time school ended next May. (Let's hope so!)

I know he's my third child to start school and I should be a semi-pro at this, but this was a little harder on me than the other two for a couple of good reasons.

One, Katie & Ethan were 5 years old when they started Kindergarten. Micah is 4 (and a half!) and going into Preschool. It just seems wrong on so many levels. But, he needs speech therapy and this seems to be the cheapest (free) way to get him what he needs, before Kindgergarten and the "real" learning begins .I learned the hard way with Katie & Ethan...waiting until Kindgergarten handicaps them in many ways.

Which leads me to my next reason: I started bawling when it came time to leave my little baby in a room full of kids and adults that probably wouldn't understand half of what he said. It would be like being deaf without sign language.

But, that's when she reassured me that he would be loved, they would call if they needed me, I could call them if I was worried, and he would be fine.

Guess what! She was right :) And, no, I did not call. But I was tempted. Just don't want to be that mom. Yet.

He was totally okay, they said they had no trouble communicating with him, and he was awake and ready to go to school again this morning, so apparently all is well.

Worry, much? Yep. Yes, I do. It's hard reliquishing control and custody, even temporarily, of my children. It almost seems criminal that we spend the first 5 years warning them about strangers, then BAM! We send them on a bus with total strangers, to a school with total strangers, all in authority over them.

That's where my faith & prayer come in. I have learned that I can drive myself crazy with all the "what if" thoughts...or I can leave it God's hands. So, I covered him in prayer, then reminded God - "I gave each one of them to You the day they were born. Now it's Your turn. Please take care of OUR children." Then, I have to rest in the knowledge that He is in charge. Always has been, really, but it's just another level of trust on my part.

Anyway...the end of the story is, Micah has excellent, LOVING teachers, he loves school, and Ben is a much calmer, sweeter child when Micah is not around. Ooops! I mean, Ben really misses Micah and they get along much better now :)

And, per usual, pictures of the momentus event:

Not quite awake...