1st Day of School

The girls started their new schools last week.  Sofia was very excited to start her new school.  She couldn't wait to ride on the bus and meet new friends.  She was excited to meet her new teacher and to see where she would be sitting in her classroom.  Ali was a little more tentative.  She was excited to start school and make new friends .  She was excited about meeting her teacher and she had already seen her classroom which she liked.  She was a little nervous about going on the bus and about not knowing anyone at her school.  The way that the school system is set up in our town the girls go to two different schools this year so Ali was a little worried about not having her big sister around. 

Since the girls go to different schools they have different bus pick up/drop off times.  Sofia's bus picks her up at the end of our driveway at 7:40 and Ali's bus picks her up at 8:30.  Ali came outside with Sofia for the first day which was great.  She got to see the bus and the bus driver as well as see Sofia climb on the bus with great enthusiasm.  The bus driver had to tell Sofia to turn around to say bye to us since she was so excited to get on the bus she wasn't looking back.  When the bus came back around to pick up Ali the bus driver was great.  She said, "good morning Ali! Your sister just told me all about you."  Ali climbed on the bus and sat down with a little uncertainty in her eyes but no tears.  By the time she came home on the bus the fear of the bus was gone.  Now she climbs on and off the bus as if she has been doing it forever.

This school year is an adjustment for me as well.  I had to put my babies on that big scary yellow bus all by themselves to go to a place we don't know to teachers I have never met.  The classroom sizes are much bigger also.  They are used to having 12 kids in their classes and now they each have 21.  I worry about them getting lost in the shuffle, especially Ali.  The work they have been bringing home seems very simplistic but I'm hoping that will change as we settle into the year.  If nothing else I will just continue to have them read the more advanced level and more complicated math at home.  I don't want Sofia to get bored and I don't want Ali to accept work below her ability.  I'm hoping that once we have the first school meetings in a couple weeks that I will feel more comfortable with their new schools and that I will be able to get more involved.  Right now it feels like their school life is completely disconnected from me.  Like I said, it is an adjustment for me too. 


All my worries and concerns don't seem to be even a consideration for Sofia and Ali.  They are both happy with their teachers and thrilled with their respective schools.  They are making friends...Ali with two girls whose names she can't remember (very Ali!) and Sofia has already proclaimed she has a best friend and fortunately for us she lives about a half mile down the road.