Schoolboy Gunnar

I was about six weeks late on making my decision, but as the beginning of October loomed, I suddenly felt very strongly that it was time for Gunnar to start preschool.  He has two more years until he goes to kindergarten (you need to be 5 on September 1st in Washington state, and Gunnar's birthday is in October), so I had planned to wait until next year before enrolling him in a real preschool class.  However, I just really began to see a need in Gunnar's (and our family's) life for a little more structure, socialization, and organized experiences for Gunnar.  I felt like he would benefit from being around other adults and children, learning to follow directions and take turns--from someone other than his parents and with someone other than his sisters.

Gunnar's first chance was a week after his birthday when he was able to take a community education class about spiders.  The girls had a half-day at school and Gunnar's class didn't start until 2:00.  He was so excited that he had his backpack on several hours before it was time to leave.

Here's the obligatory front door, first-day-of-school shot:

And, at pick-up time he posed in front of the spider web that his teacher had made during class. I remember being a little worried about dropping him off; he can still be a little nervous and clingy at church amongst familiar people, so I didn't know how he would do. However, after I lingered for a minute in the classroom he came over and kind of gave me a tapping push on the legs saying, "You can go. You can go." I knew then that he'd be just fine and he did have a great time.

One week later Gunnar had his official first day of school when he joined the twice-a-week morning class.  We carpool with his friend Jack.  They take lunches and eat them in the car on the way home, since school gets out at noon and it's a little bit of a drive. Gunnar loves having a lunchbox.

Gunnar's class is kind of large--a little bigger than I'd like--but there are several teachers in the room and he seems to get plenty of attention and has had no problems transitioning to this new routine.

 

Here he is with the house of brick and (?) straw that he made on his first day. 

They were doing the story of the "Three Little Pigs."  The best part of this for me is that when Adah was 3 she briefly attended preschool with the same teacher before we opted to switch her to a once-a-week option, and she learned the same story.  I can remember driving home from school with Adah telling me the story of the Big Bad Wolf huffing and puffing, and I had the realization that she was telling me something that I hadn't taught her.  That was new for this stay-at-home mom.  Now I'm used to my children going out and learning from other talented and energetic people, happy that there are places for my kids to go and be creative and messy and independent.  Here's to Gunnar's start in this exciting new venture!