Tomorrow Is My Son's First Day of Pre School and I'm So Emotional About It

Ah Bless your heart. It is very normal.

First.. Remember to take a photo of your child that morning. Pick a spot on the front steps or next to a tree, so that every year the first day your child can be posed there..

My husband I had to suck it up also.. We did not want to upset our daughter. Lots of big breaths..

We just matter of factly walked her up and asked for a hug and kiss, then we told her "wow, look at all of your new friends!" "Go and have fun! I will be back later to pick you up."
Then we watched her walk to the table and sit sown next to another little girl.

You could maybe look around for another set of parents with a calm looking child and say, "look at that little boy (or girl) she is going to be one of your new friends. Do you want to follow him?" Or "do you think we should follow him?"

The secret is to get them in, tell them good bye and then turn and leave.. Do not look back. Remember the teachers are trained on how to handle the different emotions of the children.

You just need to get to the car. Take tissues and maybe go with your husband or a friend for breakfast.. Talk it out.

That's so sweet! I was so desperate for time without kids, that I never felt those emotions.

But like Laurie said, take a picture of him on his first day! That will be such a great memory.

Awww, what a nice post! You'll be SO proud of him when you go pick him up! He'll be your little man now. I'm quite sure you won't be the only EMO parent there!

I'm sure I cried like a baby with all three's fist day of preschool. Psh, I'm STILL crying like a baby over every little milestone, got a college sophomore, hs freshman and senior this year. Honestly, how do these things happen!

Take lots of pictures. Find something to do that you CAN'T do with him around!

Congrats!

:)

He'll be fine, you'll be fine. Whatever you do, don't project your sadness onto him. It's only a stressful, sad thing if you make it that way. When I dropped DD off at her first day of Kinder, I made sure to hold it in until I left. Smile now, cry later, as they say. Kids sense stress, and I think the reason a lot of kids have issues separating is because the parents have made it seem like a scary thing, instead of a good, happy thing.

Pregnancy hormones are so strong and out of control! Can you get Dad or Grandmom to drop him off? You can take pictures of him walking out the door with his little back pack! My mom or husband would love to be part of this special moment. You'll end up doing it every other day but it might be easier for your little guy if you let someone else do it first day

Mrs. R., I'll be thinking of you! Hang in there. YOU drop him off (I wouldn't let another family member do it on this special day -- you son will be confused if you do). Please try to steel yourself NOT to be emotional in the morning; if you are at all upset or teary, you know you'll set him off. Be swift and positive and do not under any circumstances hang around -- the teachers do not appreciate the distraction that causes and if you son is crying when you leave, truly, truly, he will indeed calm down once the fun begins.

As for yourself-- plan tonight what you'll do with your free time. Those three hours will zip by. You might want to use it just to go to a coffee shop and sit with the paper and a book and a notebook to record your feelings and his first day sayings etc. Also don't arrive too early for pickup but do allot enough time to get there and not wait too long in a pickup line (if he gets directly into your car) or too long to find parking (if you park and walk in to get him). When you pick him up, do ask about his day but don't overwhelm him with lots of questions all at once, or with a big emotional "I'm SO glad you're back" greeting as if he were someplace less than terrific.

You can do this. I know from experience it's tough. Just do plan to spend some quiet, sit-down "you time" for this first day while he's in preschool and don't rush home, rush to do chores, rush back to pick him up. Stay nearby if you feel better doing that but get a drink and read something you've been wanting to read. You'll get better and better at using the time eventually but the first day-- baby yourself a little bit.

Hi Mrs. R.,
Tomorrow is my daughter's first day of "pre-school" too...two days a week but all day long. It is at a childcare center and one of the days she's there I will be working. I am so emotional too! I'm hoping I made the right choice in sending her there...I kept her with a nanny for the last year, and still have the same nanny for my baby girl...but I think she will benefit more from a school type social environment. Still...it feels like the end of an era in a way...I have no advice for you, but tons of sympathy...if I were pregs I know I would be even more emotional! I hope your son loves his new school and that all goes well!