Big Baby

OK - I am (almost) too beside myself to blog.  I just returned from "Kindergarten Information Night" where the policies and procedures involved in sending your child to public school in Evanston were described.  I entered with that feeling I recall from starting middle school as a student.  I left in tears, although really everything was fine and kindergarten sounds like lot of fun. Really, I mean it.

I cried over the following stupid reasons (it built up - I didn't cry until I was nearly out the door.)
-A kindergarten teacher reminded is that the kids will be very very tired when they get home from school which goes from 9:00-3:35.  This will about as long our child has ever been away from a parent -- and it will happen every day.
-I was sitting next to another compliant and worst-case-scenario-filled parent who will forever be known in my mind as "Debbie Downer" and I am grateful my good friend Miriam was sitting on the other side to balance things out.
-A goal of kindergarten is to foster independence and the kids will have to remember to turn in their homework.  I regularly forget to collect student homework and my husband walks out of the house without his wallet pretty darn often.  Her remembering genes have her at a disadvantage.
-Homework?!!!!!
-I spoke briefly with a very nice lady from food service who showed the the potential lunch choices and mentioned how the kids just step up say which choice of the day they want to eat.  This almost made me cry because: A. My child will have to talk to the grownup which she is not always willing to do and B. If she doesn't like the school lunch I will be packing her lunch every single day.
-I met a lady from the district health office and I asked her if we should send a asthma inhaler to school just in case and she said we should, just to be on the safe side.
And then I had to go cry in the parking lot.

I would like to think I've done a lot of things to foster independence in my child.  That doesn't mean I'm OK with it.  That day when she doesn't want to hold my hand or kiss me goodbye is coming and there is not a thing I can do about it.

I suspect she is ready.  I know I am not.