Follow Us Monday Morning: First Day of School

I decided to try something new this week: I participated in a couple blog hops over the weekend.  (Thanks for following, ladies!  I'll get over to your blogs very soon!) 

When I found out about Follow Us Monday Morning, I figured this will be something fun to join on a blah Monday morning!  Well, the Monday morning itself isn't blah.  It's really nice and sunny this morning.  It's just me that's feeling blah.  I really could have used a bit more sleep last night!  I wish I had time to nap with Grace today. 

Every week, at Follow Us Monday Morning, there is a new topic question.  This week's question made me laugh!  Really, I laughed out loud!  Mom, you'll get a chuckle out of this one! 

Question of the week: 

• Do you have sweet memories, or memories of terror from your first days back to school?

My answer: 

To say that I hated the first day of school would be an understatement.  I had terrible separation anxiety as a kid and I have vivid memories of my Mom trying to get me into the classroom, carrying me, while I grabbed everything I could to try to keep her from taking me in there. 

I spent most of kindergarten in the bathroom.  My crying would disrupt the class so much that they set a chair in the bathroom for me.  I don't know why I wouldn't stop crying, since I remember LOVING my kindergarten teacher.  Mrs. O'Donnell. 

Sometime before Christmas vacation, I started to warm up to being in school.  I no longer had to sit in the bathroom. I don't remember exactly how it happened,  but we have evidence that I actually did participate in class.  Evidence in the form of Christmas decorations that we made in school: 

• a tennis ball can covered in yarn, then spray painted.  (A candle holder, maybe?)
• an angel made from egg cartons, a foam ball and some glitter and pipe cleaners.
• and my favorite, a cardboard christmas tree painted green decorated with beads.  (I actually remember making that one.)

And then, that first day of school after Christmas break, it all started again!  The separation anxiety.  The screaming.  The crying.  The wrestling match to get me into the classroom.  My little chair in the corner of the kindergarten bathroom.  Same thing happened before and after Easter break, too. 

I blame it on the fact that I was too young for kindergarten.  The cut off dates for starting school was different then.  I was 4 when I started kindergarten in September.  I turned 5 in November.  That was way too young to start kindergarten.  I don't think pre-school was available then. 

The crying on the first day of school continued until the 2nd grade.  But even after that, I always dreaded the first day of school. 

 
If you want to share a story about your first day of school, click on the Follow Us Monday Morning button at the top and join in on the fun! 

Oh!  Speaking  of Back to School...My friend Lisa is hosting a product review and giveaway on her blog.  One lucky reader will win an Easy Lunch Box System from easylunchboxes.com!  Just in time for back to school!   Click here to find out how to enter!