Thursday, June 10, 2010

Ivan's 1st day of kindergarten

Giddy mom after Ivan gets home from his first day of kindergarten: So how was school?
Fine.
What did you do?
I don't remember.
Did you do math, or reading, writing?
I don't remember.
Did you make friends?
Yes.
What are their names?
I don't know.
What was your favorite part?
Everything.

My spy (Arwen's mom, Sheena, also doubles as a school teacher) provided some more details. According to her, the teacher and principal said he did very good and that he was super smart. He did an activity about the day and month we are today. She also said that a kid wanted to sit with him on the way home on the bus, but that Ivan was getting on with Arwen and that several of the kids all started calling his name for him to sit with them.

With a ton more prodding, I was able to determine many details from his gym class time. He went on and on about the scooters they got to play on, but still had selective dimentia regarding the classroom activities, unless it involved food. He told me precisely what food he did or didn't eat and that he forgot to give them his loonie for milk.

Later that evening, after we watch Moira play soccer, Victoria (beautiful, red headed, dancer, grade 9 cousin to Ivan- who we hadn't seen all day) sits next to Ivan in the van on the way home and says: How was school Ivan? He says: Great! We did the day and month with these cards.
Did you make any friends?
Sort of.
What do you mean?
Some of them said mean things.
Well I bet tomorrow they will be your friends.

I did manage to finagle earlier in the day about Ivan thinking kids had said mean things, but I'm not overly concerned about it since I've learned from experience that he has a very wide conception of what mean things said to him entails and he was neither distraught by it nor could he remember what they had actually said.

I did find it immensely fascinating to note however that it took me hours to get only the vaguest of details and nothing academic, whereas the tall, young cousin gets heartfelt confession, open conversation in a nanosecond. What is it that makes moms the automatic non-confidant?

So I figure to save some effort and simply have Victoria ask him each day how his day was while I hang out eavesdropping!

Ivan's only complaint is that he only has one more day to go to school since I had only asked for him to go a couple of days. Tomorrow we are going to look at houses, and if we get much accomplished, we will probably head back to Stoon Sunday evening.

7 comments:

GMS said...

You got more than I sometimes get from my adult son.
Sounds like he would like to go more than just 2 days. Our school here goes to the end of the month.

Olivia said...

Yeah for IVAN! This is so cool. I am so proud of him...and you and Brian!...you all made it through.

armacleod said...

Sounds like a feat. I guess you know whom to use as school "spies" for you to keep track of Ivan until he thinks you are safe.

Nana said...

Also remember he is of the male gender. His dad always gave those same answers. Frustrating isn't it! Fine, OK, I don't know etc. or the good ole shoulder lift. How does Dominique feel about him going to school? Does she want to go now?

Kimberley said...

You remember what it was like to be a kid - you never told your parents anything about school (at least I didn't). I'm glad that he had a great day!

Anonymous said...

I'm with you Kim only the part they chose to tell you. mom/(Grandma)

Ian said...

I'm still going to school...I hope to graduate next year!