My first-grader

We trekked down to the 2nd annual (for us) Stevenson ice cream social tonight on a mission to meet Maria’s first grade teacher and see her new classroom (and load up massive sundae toppings on our ice cream).  Maria rode her bike down to the event and Mario ran faster than a cheetah (the boy is swift).  He still has not caught on to looking both ways at intersections with stop signs so Maria helps me watch over him like a hawk and scolds him worse than me when he fails to stop and look both ways. 

M&M posing on the classroom pillows

Maria’s room is smaller than her Kindergarten room but is filled with books and charts and activities, but especially books.  Her teacher is well-known for getting kids to read well and I am hoping that she does just that with Maria Grace.  I think Maria will be an avid reader once she gets the hang of it and she is dying to learn more about dogs so she can begin her dog walking business so maybe that will push her.  I felt more emotional tonight than I did last year for Kindergarten.  First grade seems more like when “true” school begins to me so maybe that is why.  I turned to Maria at one point, faked crying and bawled “I don’t want you to be in first grade!”  Maria quickly covered my mouth and shook her head: “Mom, stop doing that.  One of my friends could come in here.”  Yeah, the embarrassment is already starting.

When we got outside, Maria found a couple of friends from last year.  They stood around and chatted until Mario ran up and tackled them.  Then, all hell broke loose.  Mario chased them around the school yard.  When he caught one, he squeezed her in a python grip.  I hoped he would let go, which he did but then he just moved to the next one and back to the first and back to the next.  I grabbed him and told him to stop while still trying to talk to other parents in the yard.  Everytime I looked over, he was squeezing another girl or chasing one around.  Mario is going to age me tremendously.  After I made him sit and stay for five minutes, he got up and walked over to a couple of kids he knows from our babysitter.  Within two minutes, I glanced over and he was pummeling one of them.  Seriously hitting with a fist.  It was at that moment that I knew he would not go to Kindergarten at age 5.  He needed to wait a couple of years to get those social skills in order.  I knew I shouldn’t have judged those little bratty boys in Maria’s class – Mario will be one of them in two years.  That is incentive for Jon and I to throw on the enforcer gloves now. 

Already looking like a bada--!

I asked Maria if she was excited about heading back and she promptly replied “no” but I think she secretly is at least a little excited.  She sure had fun with her friends while we were at the social.  I decided to take the kids to Kings Island tomorrow for one last hoorah before summer break is over.  Let’s hope Mario keeps his hands off people.