7 Blogs in 7 Days: Day 1-Things I hope you learn in pre-school...

This time last year, I caught up on blogging with 7 blogs in 7 days, so after a little motivating from my blogging buddy Jenny, we set-up a challenge. We are both doing 7 blogs in 7 days. Show us love with comments to keep us motivated as we clean out the memory cards in our camera and bring on FALL!

The start of pre-school has not been easy for us. As I read everyone's facebook updates about the pride and joy they felt as they left the classroom with tears in their eyes as their little one ran off to learn, I had pangs of guilt and left sobbing most mornings. I thought they were ready. They LOVE to learn. They know their ABC's and can pick out some letters off signs. They can count to 20, they know shapes and colors, their birthday, the seasons. They even sometimes color in the lines. Addy and Lilly are so smart. We mastered child-care at the gym and Mom's Day Out programs. They love playdates and birthday parties. They are social and I thought this would be a good opportunity for structured time where they weren't forced to play with EACH OTHER.

A brand-new pre-school opened near our home, we visited all together and you would have thought we had taken them to Disney World--they loved it! "Mommy, plllllllleeeeeaaasssseee can we come to school here?". So we registered, just 2-days a week, a perfect schedule for us all. Then we started school, took the pictures above--they were so excited! Then, all of a sudden the second day we took them, they decided they didn't want to go (Lilly led the charge Addy followed suit). Screams, tears to the point of near-vomiting, waking up whining, peeling off mommy and/or daddy at drop-off, it is ugly. We are 1 month in and Addy has adjusted great, she doesn't cry--she tells me almost every day that she had the best day ever. Lilly eventually warms up, but man THE DROP-OFF KILLS ME! The teacher told me one morning she cried for over an hour, after she'd cried at home for an hour before even going! Anyway, we are trying to stay consistent, to reward Addy's positive attitude and to push through. Wish us luck. In honor of the madness, I thought I'd reflect on a few lessons I hope they learn in pre-school & in our home this year!

10. I hope you learn that 20 is a lot and 1 is a little, but sometimes less is more.

9. I hope you learn that everybody looks different, but everybody deserves respect.

8. I hope you learn that pleases and thank-yous can get you far in life.

7. I hope you learn that chicken nuggets are not their own food group.

6. I hope you learn that a not-so-good day at school can be made better with milk & a cookie with mom after school, but you still have to go back on Thursday.

5. I hope you sing the songs and nursery rhymes mommy and daddy have been singing to you for the last 3 years and that you keep correcting us when you know the right words and realize we've been making them up as we go along.

4. I hope you learn to say your sorry without being told to say your sorry.

3. I hope when someone hurts you that they say their sorry, but even if they don't, I hope you learn to forgive & forget.

2. I hope you learn that Daddy can be your best friend, but a few more can't hurt*

1. I hope you learn that absence really can make the heart grow fonder and that mommys ALWAYS come back.

*This was added after picking them up last week and the teacher asked "Who's Mallory?" I told her she was a friend of Addy & Lilly's. The teacher told me Addy put Mallory for their "Best friend" activity that day and pointed to the corkboard on the wall. I walked over and looked, sure enough Addy's paper said "My best friend is Mallory". A teacher had written it and she had traced over the perfectly written letters. I glanced quickly, without seeing Lilly's and asked "Did Lilly say the same?" The teacher pointed to Lilly's "My best friend is Daddy."