First Day of Preschool

Today was my three-year-olds first day of Preschool.
 
Of course we (his parents) were excited and nervous - it's a new adventure not just for him, but us also. It means our little boy is not so little anymore. But he was not happy. We could tell this was going to be a struggle last week when we had orientation.
His preschool is at our YMCA. We go there often, not on a set schedule by any means, but enough for him to know the lay of the land. So when we pulled into the parking lot last week, he was immediately excited. To him, the Y means playing with trains in the child watch area or playing in the ball pit or occasionally swimming.
So when I took him to his classroom for orientation, while his father dropped his younger brother off in child watch, the water works began. He wanted his brother. He wanted to play trains. He wanted his routine. He did eventually get used to his classroom, especially once he saw they too had a train table. When it came time to leave through, the tears sprang up again. Even though he spent the last 30 minutes playing with trains and other fun new toys, he still wanted to go in the child watch and play with "those" trains. Never mind the fact that we have an over abundance of trains at home to play with. Ours aren't wooden. Ohhh.
Today was meet with trepidation. We tried talking to him about all the fun he was going to have today and all the new kids he was going to meet, and he responded with the "deer in headlights" look.

  We went to his classroom, he checked in like he was supposed to, we hugged and said our goodbyes. Then we took our almost two year old to the child watch so my husband and I could work out for two hours. The little one cried, which he always does when we leave him there, or at either grandparents house. But he's usually fine in five minutes.
When we left the room we could hear more crying. Several of the Preschoolers we crying. My heart plummeted. One of them was my son. A mom knows the sound of her kids cry. Add to that he was saying, "I want my mommy" "I want to play choo-choos" (<--what other kid would say that) "No. Get my mommy." And I was about to melt right there. I kept it together though and I went to work out.
Afterwards, we first picked up our youngest and we were right, after five minutes he was fine. But the oldest, it took 45 minutes before he would calm down! I'm thinking, why didn't you call me? I would have come up! Grrr! But, now I can see the rational behind it. If I would have caved and gone to sooth him, we would be right back to square one the next school day.
He refused to talk to us or hold either of our hands. He' stubborn and I have no idea who he got that from...
It wasn't until I pulled him aside in the lobby and made him hug me and told him how much I missed him that he thawed. He pulled back and his big blue eyes looked into mine and he asked, "you missed me?" Again, I melt. My sweet, sensitive, little guy thought that I'd all but abandoned him there. At home, my husband and I sat him down and explained why he has to go to school and that, even though he can't see us, we are still in the building. We would never leave him there. We've told him that he will be going back in two days, two moons (he loves seeing the moon at night. he introduces himself and anyone else standing near him whenever he sees it). I think he is understanding this concept, but only time will tell.
Now he is slowly telling me little fun things he did today and playing with his trains like normal.
His class is twice a week until the end of May, so this will be our new routine. Hopefully, after a week or two, we can do it with much less crying.