Our Scholar in Training: Brooks' First Day of Preschool

After mastering the fine art of big boy bed sleeping like a champ this past week, Brooks seemed ready to tackle adventures in preschool-land. And he certainly proved it to us today!

When we woke him up this morning we asked "Brooks, do you know what today is?" and he enthusiastically said "We goin' to school!  Mom and Dad gonna drop me off.  I have new school friends!"  All our "pre-selling" had paid off.  He was pumped.  Annie arrived to take care of Carter while we did the big drop off, and he couldn't wait to show her his new puppy backpack.  Whenever he sees the embroidered name he says "B R O O K S spells Brooks!" You can tell he thinks he's a hot shot when he has it on.  Huge smile.

As I probably should have predicted, I was much more emotional and nervous than he was.  He walked right in, put his backpack and photo in his cubby, washed his hands in the mini sink, headed into the classroom and promptly bee-lined toward the cars and dinosaurs.  Barely skipped a beat.

Bryson and I tried to get his attention to say goodbye and he was so engrossed in his new toys I don't think he even noticed that we were leaving.  We, on the other hand, kept asking the teachers questions, snapping photos, stalling, and otherwise inventing reasons why we couldn't leave.  I even breathed a sigh of relief when I realized I had forgotten to leave a form with his teachers because it meant I could sneak one last look at him through the glass door.  He was still fine.   

Annie and I picked him up this afternoon and Miss Phoebe and Miss Deborah said he was great.  No crying, no hitting, no throwing, no meltdowns, no nothing!  Just fun.  He was right where we left him in the back corner marveling at the Matchbox cars racetrack.  He talked about his day the whole way back and at lunch... and again when Bryson got home. "I played with my friends! I jumped in the sand box. Miss Phoebe.  Miss Deborah. Annie and Mommy picked me up."

I'm sure he'll start whacking kids in the head when he doesn't want to share, throwing sand in their faces on the playground, and temper tantrum-ing it up in a couple weeks, but my goodness the first day went well.  Even Carter only moderately cried in the car on the way there and back.  Small victories!

Flash forward 20 years at the Harvard class of '33 graduation ceremonies where we'll think "It all began back in the fall of 2013 during those formative years at Preschool of Chapel of the Cross."  But first, B has to get at least a B+ in circle time, free play, story time, outdoor play, and of course, snack time to graduate from his "Bunnies" class of '13.  Let the "formal" schooling begin!