Preschool

Well, the dreaded week has come and gone.  We are still sane....I think.

Chloe started Preschool this week.

Ever since I can remember, Chloe has been asking to go to school like her brother and sister.  She would beg, plead and sometimes cry that I wouldn't let her go too.  In June, she turned 4 and that was the "magic" number.  We had talked with her and explained that after she was 4, she could go to preschool.

Well, Monday was her first day.  You'd think that she would all but jump out of the vehicle and run in without so much as a wave goodbye, right?!?!

WRONG!!!!!

VERY, VERY WRONG!!!!!!

OH, SO VERY, VERY WRONG!!!!!!!

We'd met with the teacher.  Visited the classroom.  Talked (until I was blue in the face) about what activities she would do in school.

None of these things helped when the day came.  We hung up her backpack.  Washed her hands.  Found her seat.  Got some toys to playing with.  I told her to have a great day and I'd be back in a little bit to pick her up.  I turned to leave and IT. WAS. ON. LIKE. DONKEY. KONG!!!

She grabbed me and held on for dear life.  The next five minutes were filled with me trying to convince her that I would indeed come back for her.  I wasn't walking out the door to never return again.  She wasn't buying what I was selling.

It ended with teacher holding Chloe while she screamed at the top of her lungs.  A scream that would have anyone thinking that she was being badly abused.  As I quickly walked out the room and down the long hallway to my vehicle, I could hear the ear piercing scream.  It took everything I had not to run back in that room to get her and never take her back.  But, I didn't.

I called the school about an hour later to ask how she was.  The teacher was very understanding and reassuring.  Miss Chloe had calmed down about five minutes after I left and had been having a great day.  When I picked her up, I saw it for myself.  All smiles.  She told me she had a great time.

Really?  REALLY???  She cried for five minutes and I cried for the entire 3 hours she was there.  The joys of motherhood!!!

The second day was a little better....She had to be held while I left, but no bloody curdling scream.
The third day was a little better than the second.... She didn't have to be held, but there were still tears.
The fourth day...NO tears, and she didn't have to be held!
The fifth day...No tears and no holding her there.  And, she smiled at me, waved and said, "bye mommy"!

I'm fairly certain this week has taken off a few years of my life.
And, now we have a nice long weekend....long enough for her to forget the progress we made????
I really, really hope not!!