under the magnolia tree

This little guy gave me the biggest surprise I could ever imagine.  On his first day of school he marched right in, all smiles.  He gave me a kiss goodbye and boldly walked into his classroom without looking back.  I was STUNNED.  This is my painfully shy, clinging,  and socially anxious child.  For the past three years I have held him, carried him, and given him security when he felt shy, scared, or nervous.  All summer long he would cry and cry that he did NOT want to go to school.   

I was really regretting enrolling him.  I questioned this decision and was convinced he needed another year at home.  But the check was written and I was on the school board, knee deep in school involvement.  He was going.  We talked about how fun it would be.  We read a lot of books about going to preschool.  We told everyone that he needed six glue sticks which meant he was going to be doing A LOT of glueing.

 When we dropped Magnolia off a week before his school started he cried and said he wanted to go to his school.  I took this as a good sign. 

 Sure enough it was SO much easier than I ever imagined and this little boy is quite the big boy who adores school!   A friend teased me that maybe it was me clinging to him and not he clinging to me.  I had to laugh because I am sure there is some truth to that, he is my baby.  In any case, he's ready, he loves it, and I'm SO proud of him.  Way to go George!