Look out 3rd and 6th grade here we come!

Well it's official, we're ready for school to start! The girls have met their teachers, K got the 3rd grade teacher we were hoping for. We took all of K's supplies up to open house and they are waiting in her desk, at the very front of the class, yes folks she picked that spot, and she wants me to iron her dress for the first day of school, "I know you don't iron all that great Mommy, but just try a little, okay?" Sure honey anything for you.

B has all of her supplies, the right ones now, and they are all neatly tucked into her messenger bag, along with her gym clothes, and little toiletries bag with deodorant and a hair brush and gym shoes. They don't turn in their supplies until the second day of school, but she's taking hers in and putting them in her locker. The only thing left to get is a pair of ballet flats that she can wear with everything.

On the one hand I am so ready for them to go to school I can't see straight. Between the bickering and the fighting and the sometimes all out hostility between them, I want very much for their happy little butts to be in school and doing something productive.

On the other hand, I don't think I'm emotionally ready for this school year. I have to say I'm going to be a freaking basket case of tears when those two little monkeys walk into their separate school buildings and go off to their new big worlds.

"Because being a 3rd grader means you're one of the big kids Mommy, and you don't have to sit with the baby kinders anymore."

Falcon Camp

Today B went to Falcon Camp. They have one for all incoming 6th graders at all the various middle schools and it serves as their orientation. They get a tour of the school, are assigned lockers, shown where their "Registration Rooms" are, given text books to put in said lockers, and they go over the general school rules and dress code. Then they finish the day by giving the kids ice cream sundaes before we come pick them up and try to get them to eat lunch.

Beth gets in the car, with a sigh (I was five minutes late, but she wasn't the last on there.)

"So how was it?"

"Good. I got a bottom locker." This is said with a grimace and another sigh. "And they insisted on calling me (her full name which spell check hates) all day. I kept correcting people and they wouldn't let me correct it on my name tag."

I gave her little knee a pat. "Don't worry, the first day of school will be the same way. You'll have to correct everyone then as well."

I got one of those head bobble, shoulder shrug, I guess you're right gestures.

"So other than the locker bummer and the name thing, how'd it go?"

"Good, I saw a -lot- of my friends I haven't seen since like Kindergarten and some from second grade when I was at Cypress. And mom, they're all so much bigger, but still look the same. They said I look the same too. And no one laughed at my shoes."

"Why would they laugh at your shoes?"

"I don't know, I just worried about it, since they're all glitter and rainbows."

"I should think it wouldn't matter."

"Yeah. Oh! and they said they worked it out so that there's no way the seventh and eighth graders can pick on us, except at lunch."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, all the seventh and eighth graders are on the second floor and the sixth grade is on the first floor, but our lunches over lap a little."

"I patted her knee again. I don't think you'll have any trouble, unless you are rude on purpose."

Though I don't think she'll have any trouble even if she is really. The kids here are just different than most kids. Our area is um...not lacking for money, and neither is our district. So most of these kids are raised to not bully and their parents take it seriously, not to mention the district is pretty strict about it. So the majority of the students in these schools have been raised with a standard that is exacting, clearly stated, and fully enforced.

She's excited, and is really happy that her first class every day is Math 6- PACE- Pre-AP. Nothing like starting your day with your favorite subject and ending it with your second favorite, Language Arts 6- Pre-AP. I just hope she remembers to sleep at night...