That Time O' Year

Last night Don and I attended the Parent Orientation for Aidan's school. We dropped the kids off at my brother's house, since they stressed "No Kids Allowed," and we headed out, mingling with all the other parents, none of whom I really know. Aidan jumped into their preschool program in February, and after his nightmare experience of being ripped out of his former school with no farewells or closure of any kind (oh, can you just feel the bitterness oozing here?!), he was needless to say very gun-shy about attending a new school. He did all right but I know that, up until the very end, he didn't let his guard down at all, for fear of being hurt. And he was only four years old.

I think he'll do really well this year, starting fresh with all the other kids, not being the "new kid" and having no idea what's going on. The orientation was rather boring, with all of us sitting on extremely uncomfortable seats, but I know it's necessary (the orientation, that is -- the poor seating could be rectified). We were later dismissed to the appropriate classrooms, where we sat on even more uncomfortable seats (kiddie chairs -- I should not have worn a skirt!) and listened to the teacher's introduction. Now, what's fun about all of this for me is that I know the teacher's husband -- her second husband, really, a man who has known me from birth, as we had gone to the same church, the only person on the planet who calls me "Suze." I saw him a few months ago, after an absence of 15+ years, and he knew me right away ... and now my son is attending his wife's class. I think Aidan will do extremely well with her: she's an older woman (50's, I guess) and has been teaching for many, many years. She's kind, compassionate, possibly a little grandmotherly, yet authoritative in a gentle way. Aidan thrives on guidance and I think he will take to her right away.

Another fun surprise for me was seeing his Teacher's Aide ... a young woman I actually went to school with and worked with for one of my summers home from college. While we were never "best friends," we got to know each other rather well and I like her a lot. And now my son will have her in his classroom -- I'm happy.

So Monday's the big day. Aidan's thrilled and can't wait to go. He especially can't wait to wear his new school clothes that he got for his birthday, although they're really for cooler weather so he'll have to wait a bit. I think he's a little hesitant about meeting new kids and making friends (he had some not-so-nice experiences with older boys in his class in the spring -- kids can be vicious), but once he gets in there and sees them every day I think he'll be OK. I am already anticipating an emotional state for me, holding myself together as I drop him off yet completely losing it in the car when I leave. There's something so emotional about leaving that tiny little human being, my baby boy, watching him go off on his own on his wobbly colt-legs of blossoming independence that just makes me melt into a big puddle of tears. My prayer for this amazing, precious little boy is that he will heal and thrive this year in his new class, that he will fit in and regain his beautiful confidence.