Kindergarten: My Journey Through Parenthood

K is for Kindergarten.

This year Michael started kindergarten!

It was a strange feeling. I could tell he was nervous as he hung on my hand and meandered towards the backpack drop off.  This wasn't his first morning being dropped off at kindergarten.  We were actually a few weeks into the year already.   

Michael never went to daycare (at least not on my time) and had never even had a sleepover (again, not on my time).  He did go to his dad's every other week but his dad isn't big on communication so I was always shady on Michael's version of the "facts."   

I had five years with Michael to teach him everything he needed to know to be successful.  Well, maybe not EVERYTHING but enough to get him through kindergarten.  Still, leaving him at the playground which was overflowing with small people and teachers I was unfamiliar with, was a little nerve racking even for me.  I had to trust that Michael was succeeding.  

The end of the year is now upon us and the experience has been very good!  I have enjoyed watching Michael grow and change and learn.  He is well liked by his classmates and his teacher.  He looks forward to going to school every day.  He even met his wife (or so he says).  Apparently they are going to get married and have 4 kids.  Two girls and two boys.  'Nuff said yo. 

Michael and his betrothed. 

The decision for Michael to attend public school wasn't really mine to control.  (What is anyways?)  Last summer, Mr. Sexy and I were living an hour and a half away from Michael's biological dad.  Our options were few.  We could fight a custody battle or we could move closer to his dad and maintain Michael's week-on, week-off exchange schedule.  Michael's dad did continue to bring me to court for primary custody even after being assured that we were moving to the area.  We even found a house and were getting ready to put down our deposit.  Talk about frustrating.  And a stupid waste of money.

I would have preferred to homeschool Michael at least through kindergarten.  We could test the waters in the homeschool life style.  We wouldn't have to leave our hometown where family and friends were.  We could also cater homeschooling to our personal lives.  I have seen many wonderful examples of this.  Michael's dad, however, gave us a flat "no."  It wasn't unexpected.  During my 3-year relationship with him he often shut down ideas were unfamiliar.  He wouldn't even try.  As you can see, that hasn't changed.

I'm happy with Michael's experience in kindergarten this year.  Next year will be another major transition: A full school day of 1st grade!  That might be a little weird for me, too, like kindergarten was in the beginning.  We will adjust, though.

The process of letting go sure starts early!  It kind of feels like they start out as babies where we control everything and then as they grow older we have to let go of that control, little by little.

This is the A-Z blogging challenge so go ahead and read the introduction and see a list of all my A-Z posts.

What was your experience like starting kindergarten?