I recently enrolled my daughter in preschool and not necessarily because I thought it was the right step in her education. I must confess that I did not want to enroll her, but she asked to go to school. How could we say no? So, I signed her up. I think it's the fact that she is always with me and if she isn't with my husband or I, she is with one of our parents. We aren't overprotective, well maybe I am a bit, but my in-law's live very close and always help out, so why call in an outside babysitter.
To test the waters, I took her to the supervised kids play area at the gym. I was anxious to say the least. Either the women that work in there thought I was crazy or they thought, oh no, not one of these moms. I literally choked up. With water in my eyes, I was asking their procedures. They don't take them to the bathroom (they page me and I can take her), she needs socks to go in the play tubes and slides, & I need the wristband they assign me when dropping her off to pick her up. Straight forward and simple stuff. I took her to the bathroom one last time before I left and said to her, "Give me a kiss." and she did. I left slowly and she ran off to play immediately, without a second thought. I went through the gates and door and walking slowly, I watched her throughout the glass wall and she was already having a blast. I took a few steps out of sight from her and went back. "Oh, no!" I thought, "Were did she go in three seconds?!" As I walked back into sight of all the women that work in the care center, they all looked at me and pointed to her at the same time and smiled. They must have thought I was a kook! Where could she have gone in three second with five women watching her? Ummm, she stepped over to the play kitchen that was just out of site. What was I worrying about? She would do great in there. She is always asking to play with other kids.
Off to the locker room I went. I dropped off my bag and headed into the gym. I take two step on the elliptical and look over to see three other moms with the wrist band on. Oh shit! I forgot the wrist band. Epic mom fail!!! What was I thinking?! Obviously I wasn't. I felt awful and hurried back to the locker room, took it out of my bag, and put it on...tight! I head back to the gym and step back onto the elliptical. Now I manage to get five step on there and all of a sudden I hear over the intercom, "Blair Kramer, please report to the kid's care center."
My heart sank to my stomach, I knew this was a bad idea. I felt like I was a bad mom. I jumped of the machine and scurried to the kids area with fear on my face and in my heart. The woman at the door immediately said, "She's fine! She said she had to poop." I had to literally laugh out loud! Her favorite word at the moment is poop and she is so matter a fact about going to the bathroom. What a relief, she was fine. I think I was glad that I had an excuse to see on how she was doing. Bathroom run went fine and again I asked for a kiss, this time she blew me one and ran off. Half of me was broken hearted, but the other half was relieved that she was having a great time.
Needless to say, I went to finish, actually, I went to start my workout. When I was finished and showered, I went to get her, wristband and all. She was helping the ladies clean up the play area. I asked the women how she did. They said she did great and they could use more kids like her! Oh my! All that worry for nothing. I guess not for nothing, I love and care about my daughter so much and she is our life, but she is growing up and needs interaction with other children for her development. The anticipation was definitely a struggle and was a bit painful to be honest, but to see my daughter playing and having fun was worth it.
What do they say? "It's more painful for us than them." How true is that?! I survived and in a odd way I was proud of her. To her she was having fun playing and making friends, but without even knowing it, she put me at ease.
Until next time,
Blair
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