In The Weeds

It's the start of another school year.

This will be my thirteenth "beginning". I've had a few third grade beginnings, many second grade beginnings, and I'm now on my fifth kindergarten beginning.

Nothing compares to a kindergarten beginning. Nothing.

It. Is. Exhausting.

I need a word stronger than exhausting. Whatever that word is...that's the beginning of kindergarten.

You are starting from scratch. It's your job to teach them how school works: walking in line, bathroom routines, getting from point A to point B, not to mention making new friends, being away from Mommy, and staying focused on lessons and school work.

I have 24 babies this year.

It's just me and them. And so far, things have gone pretty well.

The first day was stellar. None of my kindergartners peed their pants or got lost. In my world, that makes for a great start.

Only one child was lost on Day Two. We all made it out to the dismissal area. But when I turned around, I was short one five year old.

The search: after-school care, bathrooms, office, hallways, lunchroom, playground, classroom. Recheck bathrooms, hallways, and dismissal area.

A bit of panic starts to emerge.

I recheck the room...and there is my missing tot. She got bored and decided to go back to the room and play. Behind the toy kitchen.

Of course.

So, here we are. Three days in.

The hours spent have been long.

School routines are being reestablished.

Waking up (insanely) early is torturous.

Fitting it all in seems impossible.

To Do lists shrink and then expand just as quick.

Even though it's all getting done, I have the constant feeling of being in the weeds.

It all passes.

Soon, my feet will adjust to wearing something besides flip flops and the blisters will fade. My bladder will again expand to mind numbing proportions. I'll lose my voice by the end of next week, but it will return, stronger. I won't feel as if a truck hit me, backed up, and ran over me again by 4:00pm, and I won't fall asleep two words into my book.

Soon.

But for right now, I'm over-loaded.

If things are a little hit or miss around here, you know why.

That's kindergarten, baby. It's hardcoooore.