I need another parent to cheer me back up........

my daughter is starting her first day of kindergarten tomorrow......I don't understand why I am soooo upset by this. I mean....I put her in pre k last year and she did great and I did too. It was a very small school and I was very involved. I met my daughters teacher last Friday and I'm sorry but I just wasn't impressed with her. I mean she was nice and my daughter seemed to love her but I don't know....she just seemed.....chaotic or frazzled or I don't know....I cant quiet put my finger on it. I just know that I have this really sad feeling about my daughter starting at this school.........am I crazy?????

Replies

  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    my daughter is starting her first day of kindergarten tomorrow......I don't understand why I am soooo upset by this. I mean....I put her in pre k last year and she did great and I did too. It was a very small school and I was very involved. I met my daughters teacher last Friday and I'm sorry but I just wasn't impressed with her. I mean she was nice and my daughter seemed to love her but I don't know....she just seemed.....chaotic or frazzled or I don't know....I cant quiet put my finger on it. I just know that I have this really sad feeling about my daughter starting at this school.........am I crazy?????

    Home school.
  • Mpol2
    Mpol2 Posts: 442 Member
    Every milestone for your child...as this is...is both the start of a new chapter in your parenting life and the end of another chapter. Bittersweet. Let yourself have time to grieve the old... And then embrace the new. You and she will be just fine.
  • nikkituck56
    nikkituck56 Posts: 31 Member
    Speaking as someone who works in a school (I do not have children of my own), I know that around this time of year teachers are busy non-stop. Getting their classrooms and lessons ready, plus all of the inservice stuff they have to go through. Believe me, there are many frazzled teachers where I work, and the majority of them are amazing at their job. If your child is happy and learning, then you should have nothing to worry about!!
  • doctorregenerated
    doctorregenerated Posts: 188 Member
    Not crazy.
    So much of her experience will be the other children, and the activities, and the learning. The teacher is important, of course, but everyone has a different style. Sometimes the ones who seem chaotic or messy are also incredibly creative.
    She will most likely have a wonderful year. Give it a chance.
    .....and there's nothing wrong with asking to help out in the room or maybe become the class parent. :)
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    It's just kindergarten dear :flowerforyou:
    She'll be ok & so will you. It sounds like you're just feeling a bit sensitive right now.
    I know for my youngest, I couldn't wait for him to start....then came the first day :brokenheart:
    I bawled like an idiot but had the presence of mind to not let him see :ohwell:

    He's 18 now & damned if Darwin isn't breathin' down that boy's neck, God love him :laugh:
  • tm82001
    tm82001 Posts: 133 Member
    Speaking as someone who works in a school (I do not have children of my own), I know that around this time of year teachers are busy non-stop. Getting their classrooms and lessons ready, plus all of the inservice stuff they have to go through. Believe me, there are many frazzled teachers where I work, and the majority of them are amazing at their job. If your child is happy and learning, then you should have nothing to worry about!!

    ^^^^This

    I have been a high school math teacher for 16 years and the beginning of the school year is crazy! Your kiddo will be fine and so will you. Good luck to you both.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Your daughter is going to meet a lot of different people in her life time. She will probably be friends with people you dont like very much. Allow your daughter to live, even though it is uncomfortable for you.
  • missomgitsica
    missomgitsica Posts: 496 Member
    Teachers make next to nothing, have to buy their own school supplies, and have too many kids in all their classes. They're ALL frazzled this time of year. This particular teacher probably isn't like that all the time.
  • laylasmommy67
    laylasmommy67 Posts: 38 Member
    I was the same way last year when my little girl went to Kindergarten....I panicked, went and bought all name brand stuff for her so I would feel like she would "fit" in, lol, I was a stressed, snappy mess....and I REALLY disliked her teacher, Me and my daughter personally made her gift for Christmas, and she didnt even acknowledge it, it her my little girls feelings as much as my own. I went to all the parties/field trips, and ALWAYS felt like I was ignored and not included like the other parents... but we made it through it, and while my daughter is very shy, she made a few "best friends" which made me feel better...As long as she is happy, she loves school, there will be plenty more teachers :) This year she will be in first, and its not nearly as stressful...so it gets better :))
  • Ms_Chai
    Ms_Chai Posts: 86 Member
    I am betting your daughter will be just fine, especially since she liked the teacher. That being said, it is important to pay attention to your feelings and try to analyze them. Try to find out if you are just sad because your daughter is getting older and gaining more independence. However, if after a while you still feel the same, home school may be an option for you. There are soooo many different ways to teach children or have them be taught. So, if you end up truly unhappy with this school, you aren't stuck sending your daughter there. Good luck! I hope everything works out for the best.

    PS: Public school wasn't right for my son, so we have decided to home school. Ever since we made that difficult decision to reorganize everything and make it work, a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders. Also, my son has been happier than ever, and I don't have to worry about his personality being squashed out anymore. :)
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    I look at the good teacher vs. bad teacher situation as a life lesson for my daughter. Not everyone is great at what they do. Your child will have mediocre and bad teachers, as well as amazing and positive teachers. Life is like that.

    We all have great bosses and terrible bosses. We'll have to deal with people we don't like in a professional manner. We have to treat people well and respect the rules of society whether it feels good to us or not. We, as parents and as children, don't get to control every situation, and sometimes the best we can do is to do our best despite less-than-perfect circumstances.

    My daughter was blessed with great kindergarten and first grade teachers, and last year had a not-so-great teacher who was well-intentioned but lacked enthusiasm and control of her classroom. It was a challenging year, but she survived, I survived, the teacher improved, and my daughter progressed academically.

    I also wouldn't judge a teacher by one meeting -- she might have been having a bad day.
  • disneygallagirl
    disneygallagirl Posts: 515 Member
    Every milestone for your child...as this is...is both the start of a new chapter in your parenting life and the end of another chapter. Bittersweet. Let yourself have time to grieve the old... And then embrace the new. You and she will be just fine.
    ^ this....I have 2 boys who are now 7 and 10....it was hard letting go and realizing they are growing up...I still think of them trying to get up the stairs of the bus when they were so small and their knapsack as big as them. Lol. You will both be fine...just stress of change too.
  • zodan1976
    zodan1976 Posts: 30 Member
    Just wanted to say thank you all for all the positive thoughts and words of encouragement. Home schooling is probably not in our future simply because I do work....granted only part-time while school is in but still....every little bit helps. The start of a new school year probably is hectic for the teacher and I hope that was what the problem was. I guess I will find out a little more when I take her to school in the morning......Thanks y'all!!
  • ChefSteveUrso
    ChefSteveUrso Posts: 84 Member
    My son's elementary school was horrible, and he as actually suspended in kindergarten for drawing a picture of stick figure soldiers and airplanes shooting at each other, just like I drew at his age. They had zero tolerance for guns they said, and he must be suspended, which was ridiculous. That was just the begging of a nightmare school experience that finally ended after the 5th grade when we finally took him out of public school, and home schooled him for 3 yrs. I think that elementary school really damaged him. He did great at home, and was working above grade level every year. He wanted to go back to public school for 9th grade and we nervously agreed, but felt much better about the high school which was in a different town, after we went to orientation with him. He did great in 9th getting A-Bs' in all his classes. He'll be starting 10th grade in a couple weeks, and is enthusiastic about the classes he picked. I guess my point is that kids can thrive and excel in both environments, home and public school. Or public school can really damage some kids, depending on the school. It's to early to tell yet in your case, but if you see major problems please don't let her suffer through 6 years like I let my son, before we took matters into our own hands. I don't want to imagine the mess my son would be emotionally, and academically right now if we hadn't taken him out of that particular public school. It sounds like your just nervous though, good luck.
  • Ms_Chai
    Ms_Chai Posts: 86 Member
    Just wanted to say thank you all for all the positive thoughts and words of encouragement. Home schooling is probably not in our future simply because I do work....granted only part-time while school is in but still....every little bit helps. The start of a new school year probably is hectic for the teacher and I hope that was what the problem was. I guess I will find out a little more when I take her to school in the morning......Thanks y'all!!


    Sure thing! Good luck in the morning.
  • Naughty_ZOOT
    Naughty_ZOOT Posts: 4,336 Member
    Every milestone for your child...as this is...is both the start of a new chapter in your parenting life and the end of another chapter. Bittersweet. Let yourself have time to grieve the old... And then embrace the new. You and she will be just fine.

    Well said. Mine are both in college now and still at home but one day we will be empty nesters and I still can't fathom where the time went. Focus on the positives of the new beginnings and the exciting things to come. The best is yet to be!
  • zodan1976
    zodan1976 Posts: 30 Member
    So...I took my daughter to school this morning and we got lost....haha....good thing I was with her huh....anyways we found her classroom and I helped her find her cubby to put her book bag and helped her find her table.....she then told me to give her a kiss and then said "mommy, you can go now" LOL She rode the bus home and I feel much better about that simply because the bus driver wouldn't let her off the bus til she checked her address and asked her If I was her parent. I do feel better today about everything and I think everyone was right about the teacher being super busy. And of course the most important thing is my daughter loved every moment :-) thanks yall for all the encouraging words!!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    So...I took my daughter to school this morning and we got lost....haha....good thing I was with her huh....anyways we found her classroom and I helped her find her cubby to put her book bag and helped her find her table.....she then told me to give her a kiss and then said "mommy, you can go now" LOL She rode the bus home and I feel much better about that simply because the bus driver wouldn't let her off the bus til she checked her address and asked her If I was her parent. I do feel better today about everything and I think everyone was right about the teacher being super busy. And of course the most important thing is my daughter loved every moment :-) thanks yall for all the encouraging words!!


    laughssssssss, and in another month you'll be like "Why do they give you kids so many days off"?
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    We started letting our daughter walk home from the bus stop during 1st grade. Of course, we looked out the window, checked the clock, etc. for her to walk those 200 yards. The process of watching them grow up is difficult, but the end result we want are functioning adults, and that takes letting them grow, and bumps, bruises, and bad teachers are just part of that process. Play interference when necessary, but they need to face the world.
  • georgiaTRIs
    georgiaTRIs Posts: 229 Member
    New phase in your daughters life. Make sure to encourage her and smile and talk up school. After she leaves -- then you can cry. What you feel is just what we have all felt when our child is no longer a baby but a big kid in school.
  • KimchiKiller
    KimchiKiller Posts: 36 Member
    Oh my gosh, my daughter starts kindergarten tomorrow, and I'm a nervous wreck, too lol. It's nice to hear all this reassurance from other parents. I think I'm going to cry when she gets on that big bus though!
  • ellew70
    ellew70 Posts: 222 Member
    I hear you all and am with you... although mine is starting high school tomorrow. It never goes away!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    She'll be fine. My kids have flourished in Kindergarten.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    What was even harder for me was when I went to drop off my middle child and she said, " Don't worry I'll go down with Leta (my oldest), You can go now." I almost cried. They are all in college starting in 2 weeks. Time flies enjoy each day.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I'm sure she'll be fine. Don't push your feelings about her teacher onto her. Those are your thoughts about the teacher, not your daughter's.

    We are pretty hands off when it comes to school and our daughter. Yes, we help with homework and volunteer when they ask for volunteers. But she rode the bus to school her first day of kindergarten--no dropping her off or taking her to her room, we don't email the teacher weekly to ask how she's doing, etc.

    I was thrilled when she started kindergarten (no more daycare cost, yay!) I think that the beginning of each school year is exciting and fun. I've never felt down about them.