Kindergarten and Nerves

Here's me.  Kindergarten 1986.  Just call me Farrah.  I was a sweet and shy little girl with some serious nerve issues.  I remember going to the nurses office quite often that year because I was just so anxious at school I made myself sick to my stomach.  Some who know me now may wonder at the truth of this confession, but I assure you, I was a Kindergarten basket case.



Yesterday was Eliza's first day of Kindergarten!  She has anticipated this day for months and months.  The morning of, she was up and ready to go with her backpack 3 hours before it was time to leave.  I began to think that she was going to be absolutely fine--no need for me to worry that she might be shy and nervous like her mom. 

Then came the meltdowns.  She started crying and throwing fits over nothing--hitting Ezra, etc.  I was surprised by her behavior to say the least, and then it all started to make sense: she asked me if I would stay with her at Kindergarten.  "What if there were mean kids?" she said.  I told her I would walk her to class and be there when she got done.  We reviewed some "mean-kid strategy", too. She didn't seem satisfied. 

But, by the time we got to school, she was running to class with her friend.  Things were pretty crazy once we got there with all the kids and parents, but she walked into the class just fine without a glance back.

After school she was all smiles to tell me about her wonderful day, the amazing playground see-saws, and the new friends she made. 

Sigh.  I guess I can stop worrying.  Perhaps, all those nerves from my Kinder-days aren't completely gone, eh?