MAJOR Reality Check

Okay, I feel like....I feel like....I feel like I've been kicked in the stomach. Why? Because today, and tomorrow, are registration days for....pre-school. I didn't think I'd ever get here. Let me back up a minute. Jonathan was 4 a few weeks ago - making him 4 1/2 in September - just the right age to start pre-school. It's not required in this county, but they "highly recommend it". Huh? Well, I never went to pre-school, but apparently, it's the norm. Okay. So you have to make a decision...in MARCH? Well, apparently you do. Not that you can't register later. But you might not get in. They have limited space. And you can always change your mind and decide to not send your kid on the first day, thus opening up a slot for whoever didn't register like they were supposed to...in March. So once I waded through all the technicalities, and started gathering up all the materials I need (immunization records, proof of residence, birth certificate, etc...), then I called the elementary school down the road from us and asked about the pre-k program. Wow. 5 days a week. Hmmmm. Wow. Didn't expect that. There goes long weekends at Grandma and Poppy's house. There's goes spontaneous weekends out of town. Come to think of it, there goes any vacation not in the months of June, July, and August - gee - when everybody and their BROTHER goes on vacation! Bummer! And 5 days a week for a 4 year old? Isn't that a bit.....much? So I'm thinking, does he REALLY need to go to pre-k? I mean, what are they going to teach my kid who already, at just 4, counts to 200, knows all his shapes, numbers, letters, colors, learning to spell and read and carries on intelligent conversations with any adult with which he comes in contact?

Okay, push all that aside and what's the biggest problem? My baby. My baby is getting ready to go to school. He came in the room when I was hanging up the phone today, and before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed him up, smothered him with a million kisses and asked him if he wanted to go to school. He says "Yes!" And it was on the tip of my tongue to say something like "But Mommy will miss you so bad!!" Glad I caught myself before that. Dumb Mommy.

So after all that, I hunkered down and did some research - found out the local private school has a 3 day a week pre-k program. Well, it doesn't solve ALL my problems - particulary the one that just CAN'T be solved, but it does solve a few. And even though this one we have to pay for, it seems like the right thing to do right now.

I can't believe it's only 5 months away. I can't believe he got that old, that fast. I can't believe that this August, I'll be buying school supplies. It's the start of another era.....