It happened today that my normally sweet kindergartener refused to go to school. "Kindergarten is boring. I hate it. I'm not going." He said it so quietly I almost didn't hear him. So he said it a little louder only this time he folded his arms as if that made it final.
He had the "grumpies" which led to "ihatekindergartenitis." All of our previous kindergarteners had it ~ it's sort of a rite of passage. He refused to pick out his clothes or put them on. When he did put them on and didn't like them, we went through the process all over again until he missed the bus. By the way, he "hates" the bus too and the playground and black olives and chocolate chip waffles...the list goes on and on.
But then we made up. I said, "I'm sorry I was grumpy" as I helped him put on his shoe and he said he was sorry and then we hugged. We loaded everyone up in the car and arrived at school 5 minutes later and everything was right with the world until I slid open the minivan door and my 5 year old said quietly "Mom, I told you I don't like kindergarten and I'm not going."
He refused to walk and so Bella carried him across the parking lot and on to the sidewalk where he went limp and refused to move. I handed off Meredith and picked him up and put him across my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and then I carried his Spongebob backpack in the other hand while getting strange looks from other kids and sometimes parents. "Goodmorning!" I said cheerfully while ignoring the fact that I was carrying my 40 pound kid over my shoulder.
When we arrived at the school gym, a long line of kindergarteners sat perfectly in a row. Jackson wanted nothing to do with them. I sat him down and tried to engage him in a conversation with the other kindergartens who looked at me like I was some crazy lady. "I hate kindergarten." He said quietly again, "and I hate these shoes." And then he took them off.
His case of "ihatekindergartenitis" was growing. So, I said calmly "Goodbye. I love you. Have a great day." And then I found the closest teacher on duty. "Mr. Rosser, Jackson Moberly has "ihatekindergartenitis." And then he smiled and pointed to a couple of other kindergarteners next to him who also have "ihatekindergartenitis."
Then I left...but not really... I was hiding in the office where I could still see him but he couldn't see me. He was busy emptying his backpack and then hitting his backpack on the gym floor. I wish I had a camera with me but I didn't so you will have to use your imagination.
I waited a few minutes in the office with Ms. Nadine and we compared "ihatekindergartenitis" stories. Our sweet Bella would get completely undressed and hide under the bed right before it was time to leave and I would have to wrestle with her to get her clothes back on and then I would have to carry her in like a sack of potatoes only she didn't just lay there limp like Jackson did, she had to kick and scream the whole way. Cardi would just cry quietly when I dropped her off. She was the hardest because she was the first (my little pioneer girl) and my heart ached for her. But we survived and sometimes we chat about "the old days" when they hated school and I'm sure some day Jackson and I will too.
