2nd Grade!

Today was Eric's first day of second grade! He was very anxious and nervous. I kept asking why he was nervous and he didn't really know. He had been mentioning over the last few days that he didn't want to go to second grade, he wants to stay in the first grade.

While we walked to school and I was trying to make him more comfortable, but it wasn't working! He started saying he was afraid his teacher would be mean, he would get lots of homework and that she was going to make him do multiplication! I tried to assure him that it wouldn't all happen on the first day, he wasn't convinced. Oh well, I can only say so much. He just wanted to go home and cry in his pillow.

When we got to school Eric saw his best buddy Warren, they aren't in the same class this year. Eric wasn't even excited to see him! I was getting a little worried. We walked to his new classroom and found his desk. He wanted to go back outside. He didn't want to play, he was just hanging onto the stroller. As more kids were coming I thought he would get comfortable and go play... no such luck! I asked if he wanted to go see his first grade teacher, which he did, I figured something had to work.

Mrs. Tobeck was happy to see him and asked who his teacher was and who some of the kids in his new class were. She told him she was excited for him. He was still in a slump! Since his old classroom and his new classroom share a common wall Mrs. Tobeck said she would pound on the wall throughout the day so he would know she was thinking of him. That made him feel a little better. As we were leaving I told him to look at how small the kids were in the first grade, he was to big to stay there. He did agree, but only half-heartedly.

The bell rang and it was time for the flag salute. The whole school meets at "the cake", which is in the center of the school (its cement, I was disappointed too). We said the pledge and listened to the principal. She was saying that not only are students nervous, but so are the teachers! Eric didn't believe it. He is hard to please! While we were outside I pointed out the neighbors who were bringing their son for his first day of kindergarten. I told him how nervous Lucas should be, not Eric. We didn't have time to talk to them, it was off to class!

Luckily when we got back to the classroom Eric was ready for the day! He got his backpack and lined up with his buddy Niko and some other boy. He was smiling, so I figured he would live through the first day.

I made sure to be at school when the bell rang right at 2:20, I'm not always so timely. Eric came out with a smile! He showed me his desk (I think he forgot we saw it earlier) and a fish named big brain. We talked to the teacher and got a picture with her. Eric was really happy that he didn't have homework and that they played some games in class. Let's hope the rest of the week goes as well.

P.S. The neighbor said Lucas was nervous but he kept saying that he went to the same school as Eric now. It's funny how kids work!