Willem's first day of pre-school
It's been different than I expected. I realized that it only takes small changes in my routine to make me feel like I'm living a whole different life.Last year, Nels was a champion foot-dragger when it came to getting ready for school. I needled, I pleaded, I nagged; we were late every day. I DREADED having to have him ready by 8:15 to catch the school bus this year. But it turns out that he is deathly afraid of missing the bus (after a few tales about me doing so in my youth), and he now gets ready promptly and without complaint. He is a new child. I feel a little guilty about using fear as a motivator, but it gets results.
Willem's dream of going to school has finally been realized. He goes for three hours, three days a week. He loves it as much as I thought he would (a lot), but he has definitely been out of sorts for the past several weeks. I'm hoping he's just in the final throes of his ornery threes.
I can't vouch for Shaun, but the rest of us have a touch of fall malaise. Willem cries in the middle of the night and I find him standing in the corner of his toddler bed with bad dreams about being chased by a pumpkin. Nels realizes that he can't feel his heart beating and worries about having a heart attack. And I feel totally unmotivated to write, now that I have a few free hours a week in which to do so. I think once we get adjusted to our new places and routines, it will be just fine.
And for all Nels would prefer not to go to school, I know there's plenty he likes about it. He came home from his first full week to tell me, "Guess what, Mom? They have an ACTUAL LIBRARY at SCHOOL!" Made my day.
5 comments:
I love the part about being chased by pumpkins. Mimi has a recurrent nightmare about not three or five, but "four bees" chasing her at night.
That backpack's almost bigger than Willem! Wow!
Is it the "Great Pumpkin" that Willem's dreaming about?
Jeff--yes, it's fascinating how specific they are about their terrors!
Nancy, I'm guessing it's a menacing jack-o'-lantern, since Willem is not yet familiar with the Great Pumpkin. He has an unreasonable love for all things Halloween-related, despite the bad dream.
And yes, I bought him a full-size backpack. It ought to last him at least 10 years. I'm cheap :)
There is a story called The Little Old Woman who wasn't Afraid of Anything. And it is about a Jack-o-lantern-headed scarecrow thing chasing an old woman, but she scares HIM in the end. Not sure if that would help or make it worse. But it's a good story, and age appropriate with "stomp stomp" and "swish swish" noises written in.
I adore your Willem and Nels stories. I can't wait to read the next installment!
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