Why Grade One Was Too Much For Me

Our parents had it easy. They walked to school…. both ways… uphill… in a snowstorm… all year long…. Piece of cake. Now that my kid is in school, I thought stresses of decision-making were behind me. No more Montessori vs. Waldorf… home daycare vs. daycare centre…  full-time vs. part-time. All would be right with the world once the little guy could hit the world of JK.

Apparently in my world, “JK” stands for “Just Kidding”! Catholic schools in our area are “half-days, everyday” so I couldn’t imagine dealing with the chaos of finding daycares, getting him there, alternate bus routes, etc. so we decided to leave him at his daycare centre that year. Check.

Once SK (a.k.a. “STILL Kidding”) rolled around, he was bored, and ticked off that his friends were trekking off to “Big School” without him.  Well, the half-day was still an issue, so we debated, researched, soul-searched (and wine drank) and ended up sending him to the local public school (full-day, alternate days), while keeping him at the centre on the “off days”. Check.

I was thrilled at the prospect of Grade One – Problem solved, right? Not so much. Public school he knows or Catholic school I wanted him to attend? French Immersion? Continue driving him or loosen the reins and let him take the bus?

Back to debating, researching, soul-searching and wine-drinking, and behold - the decision was finally made. Check. Wait… make that “uncheck” – turns out the kid qualified for a new pilot program in the area at yet another school that will keep him “challenged & engaged”. What?? The Back-to-School chaos is tough enough without adding additional mama guilt & “what ifs” to the equation.

Debate, research, soul-search, drink – plus several info-gathering chats with my mommy friends – and finally, with no Magic 8 Ball in sight, the decision was made. He now happily attends the new school, seems to be enjoying himself and doesn’t appear to be scarred for life. Good thing one of us isn’t!