We have almost made it through the first three weeks of kindergarten for Zoe. I guess there is a learning curve to this, and we are trying.  There are some things that are great; she seems to enjoy her friend Isabel, looks forward to Korean class, is excited about reading, and always has a funny story to
tell. But it’s been tough, too.  She comes home very tired and grumpy and complaining of how long the day is.  We’ve adjusted bedtime to 8-8:30, and she wakes around 6:45.  She is probably getting 9-9 1/2 hours of sleep, so I truly think she is just exhausted from going-going-going at school.  Her teacher sent a note home that most kids were complaining of this, so she built in a 15 minute rest time.  That was all her schedule would allow.  Who knew kindergarten was that time-demanding?  Anyway, I’m trying to be patient with her when it’s time to bring her home.  Once she is home and has had a snack and some chill-out-alone-playtime she is back to my bubbly little girl. 

I so wish it was half day kinder.  Not only because it’s just too long for her to go from 8-2:30, but also because I miss her.  We are both just so out of sync right now and that makes it rough for us.  She doesn’t talk much about her day and gets bent out of shape when I ask too much.  Later in the day she’ll blab on and on about some things, but I’d like a bit more info.  I certainly feel like the school, and her teacher, don’t provide enough information home to parents.  It’s been a struggle to figure out the rules about drop off/pick up, going in late, what to wear, what activities occur, and what classes they are doing.  There was no take-home anything from the parent orientation, and I’ve had to send notes in to her teacher to drag out info like the names  of all her teachers.  She does Spanish, Korean Culture, Music, Art, and PE…it seems like important info to know the teachers’ names and when she does these things.  I still don’t even know what her daily schedule is like.  I get tidbits of info from her like it was her turn on the computer.  I got no info home about them even using  a computer, so this was news.  I guess its educational games, which is cool.  I just don’t like getting ALL my info about her schooling from a 5 year olds’ perspective.   And, since I don’t know what she is doing I can’t start very good conversations about her day with her, so we get all frustrated with me wanting to hear about her day and her wanting to tell me about lunch.

I’m hoping it gets better.  Transportation to school is another little hurdle.  The school is 1.5 miles away…. a bus comes to the front gate which is just over half way, so if I’m biking her in then I just take her all the way.  In order to make the bus TO school we have to leave the house at 715, but if I just take her all the way in we can leave at 740.  Biking in is fine, though Zoe isn’t allowed to bike all the way to school.  They don’t have a bike rack and won’t let the kids bike!  Today Zoe biked on her two -wheeler all the way through the front gate to catch the bus, but when it was time to bike home she was too tired and had a crying breakdown over it.  That is how she comes home most days – sad and almost in tears.  Anyway,  she eventually got on her bike after we tried to unsuccessfully drag it behind the stroller.  She did AMAZING, too!  Tonight she even mentioned how proud she was of herself for biking to and from.  Me too.  But, tomorrow she wants to ride on my bike. =).  I sooooo wish there was a bus stop close.  Driving her in to school is a mediocre option at best.  They do not allow cars in the school area at the beginning and end of the day, so I will need to park at the comissary and walk (about 2 blocks) her to the school.  So, at that rate I might as well just walk the whole thing…or bike =)

Anyway, we seem to choose the best transportation for day and it works out fine.  I’m not so worried about that. My biggest quam is the lack of info I get and how simply disconnected to her I feel.  It makes me sad and I’m just not sure what to do about it.  Sending in lots of notes with questions to her teacher solves some issues; I just wish I didn’t have to do that.  I try my hardest to keep it all positive to her.  She was so super excited to go to school; I feel so bad that it’s become a little rough.  Every morning she is so hard to get motivated, but though she is tired and grumpy she seems to have had a good time when she gets home. She certainly loves the new things she is learning.  She loves Korean Culture class – that is her favorite and she wishes she had it 3 days a week instead of Spanish (me too).  She doesn’t like Spanish, but loves her Baille Folklorico dance extracuricullar activity twice a month.  She gushes about journal time.  She gets in trouble for chatting.  She is super excited to tomorrow because it is popcorn Friday.