The day has finally come: Carl has started primary school. This morning as I got him ready he alternated between excitement and apprehension about taking the Big Step of becoming a school boy. His pre-school days are officially over but he isn't quite ready to give up the fun, games - and the ladies - that made his life at Jip & Janneke so enjoyable.
We took him to his classroom, Niels playing the big brother role by lending a suporting hand on Carl's shoulder and showing him how to put his lunchbox in his locker, then it was time for a quick photo and goodbye. Carl clamped himself to my leg and refused to let go, not quite crying but with his bottom lip trembling and a look of rising panic on his face. His teacher, Juf Janny, was very sweet and helped to talk him into staying with her while peeling his fingers off my leg one by one, and when I left the last thing I saw were his big tear filled eyes watching me pleadingly as he clung to her hand.
With a lump in my throat I took Niels to his class then a reinforcing cup of coffee, so I could check back on Carl after a little while to make sure things were going ok. I couldn't hear any crying so that was a good sign. By 9am I figured I would take a final look at my wee man, the baby in the family who is afterall only 3 years and 11 months old. Was it too soon for him to be at school? Would he be traumatised by his first day and face the rest of the week with dread and a feeing of abandonment? Would he ever forgive me? I peeked through a window to see how this emotionally upheaving event was affecting him....
....there was Carl, perched on his teachers knee for all the world like the new king holding court. Having firmly establisehd that the only woman in the room was obviously his he was clearly relishing the attention and having a whale of a time. So much for trauma! Now if only his mother could get over the experience as quickly.
No comments:
Post a Comment