Tonight was the open house at Lily, Wyatt and Rory’s Montessori preschool. Rory was very angry that I refused to leave; this did not comport at all with what she had been told about school, which she clearly has conceived of as a place that she will go and be relieved of my constant supervision and insistence that things be done my way…boy, is she in for a surprise! The teachers have been warned…if they’re not in charge, she will be.
Almost lost in the shuffle was Wyatt’s reaction. I felt a little sorry for him–here was Lily, trotting back into her familar classroom, now a big girl–and THE big girl with the privilege of having her towel be the one towel that folds and doesn’t hang. She was assured that this was granted only to the most responsible girl and the one most likely to refold the towel and replace it on the counter (1 more student than there are hooks).
There was Rory, confidence personified, as always–and more than that, the obvious object of much interest and attention from her teachers, with me anxious to remind them of a few things about her (that she’s prone to walking out doors without giving anyone notice, for example). And rushing back and forth from room to room.
And then there was little Wyatt. New classroom. New teachers, and me not telling them a single thing about my not terribly demanding or complicated little guy. No one showing him the potty. No Lily to keep always in the back of his eye in case he needs her. Convinced that the toys and puzzles (forgive me, “works.”) in the other classroom were better than those in his. Pretty much fending for himself, although I swear I went in and sat down and we found things to look forward to tomorrow, and we found his cubby and practiced putting on his new slipper socks with monsters on the toes. We did all those things, and I still feel like he’s the one moving into new territory. I am so glad Trevor will be in his class, and glad, too, that they’re not all in the same room–it’s good to have some space apart after the closeness of the summer. I know he will go in happily; I know he will be fine. Without Rory, I would feel that he was in good shape knowing Lily was across the hall, but it DOES feel funny that Rory should have Lily there while Wyatt does not. Lily and Wyatt have become even closer than I’d realized. Lily fussed all morning because he was still asleep. She wanted to wake him up and play with him.
Everyone is ready to go. I hope the morning will go well. It’s time for things to get back to normal, I guess.
I think I will miss my little guy. I think I already miss my little guy.