This is Mica when he first started preschool two years ago. He had just turned three.
- I'm a little bit dreading school starting! Not just for me (I'm a teacher), but also for our oldest Mica.
- Last year Mica was the only one that wasn't moving on to kindergarten in his preschool class. We held him from going to the (way over done) graduation. I pondered over it for awhile. I didn't know what to do. I was thinking, "Do I just make him suck it up, and such is life?" I couldn't get past how it might make him feel not to wear a robe, hat and go through the whole ceremony like the whole rest of his class was going to. I've never liked feeling left out, and how could I expect a 4 year old to understand all of that? I contacted the preschool director, she really wasn't sympathetic. Then his teachers just seemed to understand, and said "Just keep him home." That's what we did.
- Now Mica will be going into a class with all new students. I've explained to him that he'll get all new friends this year. "How exciting that will be Mica"! I said to him. Then I got him a new Buzz backpack that would better hold his papers. I'm trying to pump the excitement into him.
- He's going to the preschool he's went to this whole time 2 days a week, and a new one 2 other days a week. The other preschool focuses more on play, which is some of what Mica needs (the social interaction). They also have stretching after class some of the time.
- His cousin, who he's spent his whole life with is going to kindergarten. Mica will lose his play partner.
- We decided to hold Mica from going to kindergarten because he has an August birthday, he is socially still awkward, he won't hold still, his hand coordination isn't as strong as other students his age and Daddy got held back/Mommy almost did.
- He is starting to read small words. Daddy got out a phonics set last night, and Mica was beaming because he read a whole page by himself! ;) This is a book we've never read to him. He also is way ahead with knowing his letters, letter sounds and numbers. He's super into building ANYTHING! He can do 100 piece puzzles by himself. He loves to build with Legos and train tracks. Maybe we as parents just need to do our best to engage him while he's at home.
- I'm a little concerned about the fact that Mica will appear to be a giant compared to the rest of the kids. He's super tall for his age, so is his cousin. But, Mica's waiting a year to go to school. He'll be a major giant by then! To some that may seem cool. To others, people may expect more of him because sometimes taller seems older and wiser.
- It's times like this where I wish we were back in the day where there was one classroom for all ages. You know like the Little House on the Prairie times.
- I hope all this stuff with school bothers me more then him! Grandma Spiehs asked Mica if he was excited to go back to school? and he said, "No". :( But he also said he didn't miss his cousin when he was in Alaska for two weeks, and loved playing with him when he got back.