Little Bits of Our Life: I Knew You Could

As I'm trying to think what I want to say in this post, I get tears in my eyes. School is officially out for summer! I can't believe our son has finished kindergarten. It is so cliche, but time really does go by so fast!! We felt so lucky that he started his school career with an amazing teacher and a small class size with some pretty great kids!

There was a debate in our house as to whether we should sign him up for full or half day kindergarten. I was actually on the full day side, mainly because I was worried about what he would miss by not going all day and that he might be behind the other kids when he started first grade. Now that the year is over I can gladly say that I am so very happy this one was a battle that Daddy won. I am so thankful to have had the extra time with him in the afternoons. He will go to school full day for the rest of his school career, so I am glad we decided to just send him half day this year.

His teacher read the kids a book called "I Knew You Could" as part of the program today. I don't think any of the parents had dry eyes by the time she was done. I will be ordering that book on amazon!

They also sang a song as part of the program today. At one point our son told me he was NOT going to sing or dance to the song because it was embarassing and he felt silly. We somehow talked him in to showing us the motions at home and after practicing a few times, and Dad and Mom doing their impression of the dance, he realized it was okay to participate. All the other kids would look just as silly as he did! ;) And it was a silly song and dance, but the kids seemed to have fun doing it for the parents.

Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together....

I still worry occasionally about how he interacts socially. He can be pretty shy at times, and resistant to going new places or doing new things. His teacher did tell us at one point that some days he would sit outside their circle at circle time, but with a reminder from her he would join the rest of the class. He had lots of friends in his class though, and would always be excited if one of the other students in his class was going in to school at the same time he was from car line. I loved watching as he walked in to school and talked and laughed with them. Once he is comfortable with someone, he talks nonstop! :)

As he gets older it is a little easier to understand how he is feeling and what is going on in his 6 year old mind. He tells us that when he hasn't done something before, he gets really nervous and anxious. I can understand that! I was so shy all through school. He reminds me a lot of me as a child. I hope that we can help him get through the shyness and the anxiety quickly so he can really enjoy school as he grows up!

His teacher praised him in each report card for talking at appropriate times, being a good student, an excellent example for the other kids in the class, a great rule follower, and a good friend. It makes me so proud as his Mom to hear those things. His teacher was great with all the students from what I saw, and you could tell in the things she said and remarks she made on his homework, report cards, etc that she really had a place in her heart for not only our son but all her students. I can only hope he will be blessed with teachers like her for his entire school career!

Our son and his teacher. I had the hardest time fighting back tears as I waited to pick him up in car line on the last day, and then talking to her when I picked him up. I would have never imagined at the beginning of the year that I would be so emotional on the last day! We are so thankful for the huge part she played in making his kindergarten year a good one! As part of the end of the year gift we gave her, we got her a gift card to our favorite frozen yogurt place. Our son said, maybe she will go on Friday so we can see her. I thought that was so sweet. (Our "treat day Friday" tradition has become "frozen yogurt Friday" at our house!)

A hug and a certificate of completion

His "diploma". He is our kindergarten star!

Two thumbs up!

A locker picture from his first and his last day of kindergarten. He looks so nervous in the first day picture!

Our son with his good friend from class and his little brother (on the left). Love these boys in blue stripes! And that the older two have matching blue camo backpacks. Their Moms must think alike. ;)

One of the Mom's from their class threw a swim party after their second to last day of school. I wasn't sure if I would be able to go because I had my girls and the girls I was baby sitting, but my sister was so nice to come to our house and watch all 4 girls (and my niece) so I could go to the party with him.