Topic Tuesday: The first day of the rest of your life

Note:  Topic Tuesday is normally up to you, the readers.  If you want to suggest a topic to me, I'm all ears.  Leave it in the comments. 

Today was the actual, official first day of school.  Since it's MY blog, and I can talk about whatever I want, I'm sticking with the return to school topic. 

Today would have gone better if I'd gotten a better start.

To begin with, I stayed up way late watching TV with The Hubster.  I clicked on the television, and a movie was on that I had Netflix'ed and yet never watched.  Drumline.  It was really pretty good, especially since I'm a sucker for marching bands and percussion in particular.  When the movie was over, we were both pretty comfy on the couch, and lazy, and so we stayed for the next show.  Which turned out to be even better than the first - The Ron Clark Story.  I had forgotten to take my contacts out, and was so mesmerized that I didn't realize it was 1:40. A.M.  Horrified, I turned off the tv and ran to bed, but it was too late. 

Literally too late, as I overslept.  My alarm was set for 5:45, and Nik woke me at 6:30.  We were supposed to leave for school at 6:55, just the two of us.  I raced around, fed everyone, and he and I left for his school close to on time.

When we arrived at the school, he requested that I walk him in and help him carry his books.  I was *floored*. Here he is, a high schooler, and he wanted his mom to help.  We unloaded and organized, and within ten minutes, I was out of there.  A return to home, a pick up of the next three, and we were off again. (Pics to come another day, maybe....)

Being that it was the first day of school, the elementary/middle only had a half day, so, three errands later, my day was over.  I had told Nikolas that I would pick him up at school at 3:15, and I went to the school to wait for him.  Since we live within a mile of the school, we planned for him to walk home occasionally.  He misunderstood and he walked home today.  Strike one for me. I wasn't even there the first day.  I made sure to praise him for his initiative.  He asked two friends to come home with him, to start a weekly study group.  Again, I praised his forward thinking.

I spent two hours at the table dealing with papers in quadruplicate.  Medical forms, emergency forms, three forms on "In a million words or less, tell me something about your child....", syllabi (dictionary.com says that this is the correct plural for syllabus, but my spellcheck keeps picking it up), and a running list of the supplies we'd need to buy tonight.  A Spanish/English dictionary, two binders, dividers, folders, a jump drive, printer cartridges - the list went on and on.

A very rapid dinner, a grabbing of drinks, and we were off to soccer. I walked 3 miles with my friend while we were there. I noticed that Nikolas was getting more and more grumpy.  I didn't think too much about it - he's a pretty grumpy person sometimes - but the attitude persisted.  All through soccer, our return home, and our trip to Wal-Mart.  By the end of the night, he was reduced to muttering an unintelligible grunt in answer to my probing questions.  We finally had a blow up long about 10, and he's since been sent to bed.  Exactly what I wanted to avoid on his first day.  I SO wanted it to be perfect for him. 

I was really bothered by it, but then I remembered my first day of middle school.  I know he's older, but this was his first year of changing classes, lockers, bells, and the first time he's been at a new school since he went to Kindergarten.  The first year that he can go to his locker when he wants, to the bathroom when he needs, and not have to spend the day according to the schedule of one teacher. The first day without the friends he's known since he was five, and the first day with teachers who haven't seen him grow up for nine years. That long ago day, I came home and threw myself on my bed, dissolving into a puddle of tears.  There had been so much noise!  The Bells ringing! The lunch room alone was more people than I'd seen in my entire elementary school!  I had a headache from so much noise.  Although he hasn't copped to it, I'm wondering if he was feeling the same. I hurt for him.  I know he's got to work through it, though.

What do you remember about  your first day of school?  Any first day, really, although I'd really like to hear your thoughts about high school specifically.  If you've got kids, what did they say about their first day of high school?  Any tips or hints to help me him out?

___________________________________________

Tomorrow promises to be an interesting day - Emma has an eye check for her funky eye thing that she does, and The Hubster is going to the doctor for pain in his back that goes down his arm.  A few days of heating pad/ibuprofen hasn't done anything, and he hates to go to the doctor, so I know it's really bugging him.  I'll keep you posted.

Comments

[Kate O'Brien]

WOW! Your life sounds so much like mine. My eldest is only 13, but how you are so busy!

I remember starting high school and feeling very overwhelmed. That's really when peer acceptance and popularity became important too. I was never the popular girl and had to find my own niche in school. It took me some time though. And the work load was a lot in high school too.

Don't you love all those papers they send home for you to fill out the first week of school?

[Izzy]

I'm sorry the first day didn't go as well as you'd hoped. I completely relate to everything you said, even though my oldest is only six. And once again, I bow down to you. I don't know how you do it but you have my respect and admiration!

[Waya]

I have two going back to school, 1st grade and pre-school but already I'm feeling overwhelmed. Can't imagine handling SIX!!!

I really didn't like my HS year, there was a lot of insecurities and self-doubt, but eventually senior year was better. I know it took almost all 4 years. It's only the first day of school so maybe he'll feel much more comfortable having his fellow middle school friends around who probably feeling the same thing.

[Jennifer]

Let us know about the "funky eye thing".
I have no tips on high school. I was too afriad of kindergarten, so we are homeschooling.

[She-Ra]

Oh how funny! I was up until the same time watching the same movies! I was working on a deadline so was glad to be able to see The Ron Clark Story since I missed it the first time. I finished my project at 1 but stayed up until the end of the movie. Then had to get up for my exercise class at 5:30. But, it was unfortunately NOT the first day of school for us (one more long week of vacation!) so I spent a cranky day with my kids, trying not to kill them, and went to bed at 9:00! Feeling much better today and ready to tackle my next deadline.

[the womom]

Ron Clark is the guy who wrote "The Rules," right? I had no idea they made a movie about him.

I've always been really quite small, so highschool was pretty intimidating. I spent quite a few lunches by myself in the bathroom with my feet up on the toilet so no one knew I was in there.
It was totally sucky. But I made it!
Nik will too.
xoxo

[Caren Story]

I went to the same school from 6th grade to 12th grade, and had pretty much the same kids in my class. I loved it. It was a small school. I had 33 kids in my graduating class. So sorry, I cant help you there. But I'm praying for you all. Growing up is hard!

[Hayes]

I love drumline. NAthan makes fun of me. The Ron Clark story was great. I watched it this weekend.

And now, GO TAKE A NAP!!

[Paige]

I've got the Ron Clark story on my tivo waiting for me (I love Mathew Perry).

My son came loping out of the junior high and when I nervously asked him how it went, he said, "Great!" Ok. That's good enough for me.

Here they let the 7th graders go a day early and experience the big bad junior high all by themselves, then they have the next day off for the 8th and 9th graders. Good idea, I think.

[jessica]

I'm 24 and not that far removed from high school. In fact, I'm now a high school teacher!

My first day of high school (which was 9th grade for me) was TERRIFYING! We started changing classes and having lockers in 7th and 8th grades, but it was really intimidating for me to be in the same school with the "cool" seniors who knew exactly what they were doing. Being in marching band helped, because I had already made friends during summer camps.

Even though the first day I came home and cried to my mama, the second day I had a great time and quickly got the hang of things.

I cried the first night in my dorm room at college too, but again, after the first initial shock of being in a new environment wore off, all was well!

[Megan]

I changed schools for 7th grade, in a school that went 7-12. My dad was a high school teacher, so at least there was one friendly face! I met the daughter of one of the swim coaches and we hit it off, although she was wayyy more savvy than I about boys and such....(you get the idea)

My scariest moment was band, when I showed up with my drumsticks (yes, I played percussion) a small, quiet, nerdy 7th grade girl sitting with all of these gorgeous high school boys. I high tailed it out of there after class and quit band. (how silly of me, I know!)

Here's hoping that all the kids settle into their routines quickly!

[Erin]

My first day of high school was really easy because they did an orientation thing all day long with us so we didn't actually go to real classes just learned about school rules, recieved some don't drink/smoke/have sex lectures, toured the school and did some team building activities to meet new people. Both my middle and high school only have the 6th and 9th graders come in on the first day back so they can get used to the school without all the returning students there to overwhelm anyone.

[asg]

I think we lived the same life last night. I was looking for a lost name tag sticker for little one. 2:00 AM to bed and 6 AM rise.

[Lana]

Four of my five kids are in high school (one's in university) - three different high schools, what with one need and the other program. The schools are between one and three miles away - and my kids have always found their own way to school.

A less-than-mile walk is a good thing for a normal, healthy kid, an easy walk. Our agreement is that the kids walk or bike during the temperate months, and in the harsh winter months, I provide city bus passes.

Drive them? Once or twice a term, maybe. If they're really, reeeeally nice to their mother! :-)

[Elizabeth]

I took my eldest to college this weekend, and my youngest started kindergarten a bit ago. Let me compare them for you. On the first day of kindergarten, the school had a "Boo-Hoo Brunch" sponsored by the PTA, for moms to go to after dropping the kids off outside of the classroom. The parents were told firmly we could not come in to help them get adjusted, because that made it take longer. I blew off the brunch as by this time I was THRILLED my youngest went off to kindie, and he was thrilled to go. At college, we had a whole parent-student weekend where we heard faculty, administrators, and alumni tell us over and over that it would be fine, that the kids would learn to take care of themselves, and they even had a farewell picnic lunch for us! I blew it off and went home to enjoy my quiet house.

[kalisah]

I loved both those movies. Not that that was really the topic of the post.

He didn't change classes in middle school? My Kid's school is K-8 but they started changing classes in 6th. As a class, then in 7th, what they call "scitter-scatter" which means the people in you classes change - you don't move together as a class to a different teacher.

This year the big thing is they're not allowed to carry their backpacks. They're trying to teach them organization and to organize everything in one binder. They make dumb rules there.

[Alexpete]

LoL a friend of mine just shown me coolest flash game I ever seen and I just can't keep it to myself.
It is everywhere on the net just google for "the right mix" and you find it:
My barman has died 5 times before I found first "drinkable" mix.

Best Regards
.::AleXPetE::.
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