My son started kindergarten this week – some of you might remember when I first shared him on the blog, over five years ago! He was ready for this new adventure, even if he was, as he put it, feeling just a touch “fragile”. I felt pretty fragile too. He’s been in preschool for a few years now, but there’s something about kindergarten that feels so big. It’s the beginning of a new stage of life, and, well, I’m feeling some big feelings, as his lovely preschool teachers would say.
To celebrate this momentous occasion (and to remind myself that growing up is in fact a very good thing), I’m sharing a poem about gaining independence, from one of my all-time favourite poems, A. A. Milne:
To all my fellow parents and grandparents who are celebrating new grades and new school years – I wish you all the very best as we start new journeys into the unknown!
Buffy Silverman is hosting Poetry Friday this week!
Aw, those stages and changes. I remember when you did share and now, a kindergartener – wow! I hope he had a great day, and you survived, too! Milne knows everything, doesn’t he?
It feels like just yesterday I was sharing his wee little hand, and now he’s a “big boy” – but never too big for mama, I keep reassuring him. Milne seemed to understand the child in such a magical way, I often find myself turning back to his poems.
Ah–the mixed feelings about that march towards independence. It’s been years since I was on that journey with my kiddos, but your words and poem brings those feelings back! Good luck to your son (and you!) at kindergarten.
So many big feelings all around! The time just flies, doesn’t it??
Jane, welcome to this new adventure! Kindergarten is indeed a big step! My daughter has been a kindergarten teacher for the past three years. This year she is teaching second grade. I think she will miss those newest of school kiddos just starting their journey, making new friends, and learning what this “school deal” is all about. Best wishes for your son!
Kindergarten teachers are absolute angels! Not only are they welcoming these little ones into school, they’re also holding us nervous parents up, too!
Years ago, when my youngest started kindergarten, I squatted down in front of him, before he walked into his new class. He put his arm on my shoulder and told me, “You’ll be okay, Mommy.” Hope you made it through the first day, Jane!
Oh my goodness, that’s so sweet! They can have so much empathy, even at that young age. <3
Happy Kindergarten! I hope the first day (and lots of the ones that will come after that) was magical!
Thank you! It went really well – there weren’t even any tears, though mama was holding a few back.
Oh, Jane, what a milestone!! No doubt you’re drinking sips of wistful as well as proud as you watch him really begin his journey in the big world. Congratulations to your young scholar, and hugs from this mother/grandmother (who can’t believe our wee one is in the two-year-old class at their Mother’s Morning Out program!)
Oh, what a wonderful expression! I am indeed drinking sips of wistful, embracing this exciting new stage will still holding on tightly to the last little bits of early childhood, before they slip away.
Congratulations on Kindergarten! I hope it was a great first week, big feelings and all! The AA Milne poem you shared is the perfect connection to this transitional time.
I think it went well! They only went for an hour each day this week, so we will see how the next few weeks shape up.
But apparently the teachers and nice and they have neat toys, so that all bodes well! 
Being able to explain that he is feeling “fragile” sounds very sophisticated! Best of luck to you and your family on this transition. Five-year-olds are so delightful!
We can thank his devotion to LEGO for that turn of phrase, I think! He’s often hearing us describe certain sets as being fragile, so I can only guess he put two and two together, and decided he felt like a LEGO set! Kids are just absolutely delightful, with the creative ways they see the world.
Congratulations! It’s a milestone even if a bit fragile. It feels to me like this child was just born…how, HOW can he be going off to kindergarten? Enjoy all the fun times!
I KNOW! I look at mothers holding their tiny babies, and I can’t quite wrap my head around the fact that this rambunctious little boy was once so small! It seems to fly by in the blink of an eye! But I can say with confidence that so far, every age seems to become my new favourite age.
Jane, thanks for sharing your thoughts on your child and Kindergarten. It is such a sacred step into “new journeys into the unknown”. I am so honored to be able to walk alongside my little grandgirls on their journey. You captured independence so well. I am going to ponder this some more. Enjoy your child’s new world.
Aw, how lovely. Growing up *is* a great thing, if occasionally bittersweet.