First Week Of Kindergarten

Quick disclosure: Ever since they changed the format of Blogger, my computer has not liked it. I have paragraphs and appropriae spaces but for some reason Blogger is squeezing everything together. I can't figure out how to correct it but am hoping to get a new computer soon and am hoping Blogger will like it better. Matthew has now completed one week of kindergarten. He loves it and I am so relieved. He is in a dual language program where the teacher only speaks English for one hour a day. I was really worried Matthew would hate it or refuse to participate but that hasn't been the case. Day One: Matthew, Jacob and I got up early. My tire had blown out over the weekend and I had to take the car in at 7:30 to get the tires replaced. Thankfully, the tire shop is only about 2 blocks from our house so we were able to drive the van over and then walk home. We got back to the house with about 10 minutes to spare and then walked to the bus stop about one block away. My kids have never ridden the bus to and from school. We live near our elementary school so Jacob always walks to school or gets a ride from me. Matthew is attending a charter school that is about 2 miles from our house and across a very busy street. The school district provides a bus for almost all of the kids at the charter school so he will be riding the bus to school and home after the day care program ends. The day care is through the school recreation department and provides transportation home for any student who rides the bus to school. It is a wonderful service. Matthew came home laughing at the Spanish and stating the other kids "speak funny." He said he loved kindergarten but thought he should go to an English kindergarten the next day. I told him that I was glad he loved it and that he needed to stay in his class for now. I promised him the Spanish would get easier and he would start to understand more soon. I picked Matthew up from day care and learned that he wasn't on the list to ride the bus. I was really glad I had decided to pick him up the first day and he hadn't gotten stuck there. Matthew is a very active child who likes to challenge teachers to see if he actually has to listen to them. He challenged a little bit but overall did a very good job. Day Two: I checked with the day care program and learned Matthew was on the bus list and that he would be dropped off right in front of our house. All I needed to do was be home to wave at the bus driver and let Matthew in the house. This is the first time I don't have to worry about picking him up after work. I have been going to two different day cares for the past several months and it will be a great change to only have to worry about picking Jacob up from his after school program. Day Three: Yesterday was Matthew's first full day of school. He did well although he was very tired at the end of the day. Matthew came home very excited. He had played with some other kids on the playground and in the classroom which has been a challenge earlier in the week. He was having trouble finding ways to play with children he doesn't speak the same language as. He also was very proud to tell me that he only plays during play time and doesn't play in the classroom when they are suppose to be working. Matthew was also excited to report he was starting to understand Spanish a little bit. He stated his teacher told him something earlier in the day and he understood what she was saying. I am really impressed that he is beginning to pick it up after only 3 days in the classroom. Experts say he is at the perfect age to begin to learn another language and so far they appear to be correct. Today is Friday and the end of the week. It has been a very long (and pretty much horrible) week at work but things have gone extremely well at home. I am very relieved that Matthew appears to be doing well at school and must be learning a lot because he is exhausted at home. I remember Jacob was really tired for about the first month of kindergarten and I think Matthew is no different. I am making sure that we stick to a pretty consistent routine and get to bed on time or early every night. It's definitely easier to get him to go to sleep when he is tired from school.