First day of preschool

And how do I feel about it? Well, it's certainly not like, "Great! Isaac will be at school for three whole hours! I can do anything I want!" Although it is very strange to be temporarily without my son, somewhat like going out without my purse, it's not an entirely unpleasant feeling, and I'm sure I'll get used to it (and maybe even eventually look forward to it). However, I'm taking my liberation in stages. Although preschool started at 9:00 a.m., I didn't actually leave him there until 10:00, and even now I'm writing this post in a cozy window seat of our town's public library, just a few minutes away from the preschool.

Why? Even though I don't have to pick him up for another hour and a half, I'm not quite confident enough to go all the way home. I may even go back to the school in a little while and see how he's doing.

And how does Isaac feel about it? I'm pretty sure he's fine. He might be feeling a little uncertain, but I don't think he's going to get too upset. I seriously doubt that he'll cry. When I left, a few other kids were in full meltdown mode and wailing for their mothers. Isaac wasn't even looking around for me.

I did try to ease Isaac into things. I sat with him during his circle group, and I walked around with him as his teacher Jennifer gave him a brief tour, but then I busied myself setting up his cubby until he got bored watching me. When he told me he wanted to go play, I told him to go ahead, and he ran off toward the playdough without looking back. The first time I asked him if I should leave, he said no. After that, I tried to stay out of his sight. After 30 minutes, I went to check with him again, and he was sitting atop a huge wooden block with a full-size steering wheel attached. I said, "I'm going to go up the street to the library for a while, and then I'll come back. Is it okay if I leave?"

He was very busy trying to figure out a way to arrange another block as a trailer, and he didn't answer at first. I repeated the question, and he eventually grunted his assent. Not a really enthusiastic assent, but an assent.

So he found something fun to keep him busy while we were apart, and he thought he would probably be okay without me. I think I'm doing just as well.