another year PreK

Sorry I have been MIA from blogging - life has been busy and we have had a roller coaster of a week last week between work and home life.  Glad this week is a fresh new week and I am actually on a short LA trip for work.  Which to be honest I needed some time away to decompress, renew my spirit, read a few books on the flight, and watch adult TV.  Can I get an AMEN! 

Anyways I wanted to write a post about Grayson and our decision to keep him in PreK another year and not to start Kindergarten this year. 

Grayson in fact turned FIVE on May 17, 2015 and YES he could start Kindergarten however as his parents both of us agreed over a year ago that we would be holding him back one additional year.  Socially I think Grayson needs more time to mature.  He struggles daily with wanting to go to school and leaving his mommy.  In addition I was comparing Grayson to other kids his age at his school and he wasn't doing things that other kids his age could do... he had NO interest in writing his name and in fact he didn't learn and start writing his name until April.  I have learned over the past year that Grayson is someone that just needs to be pushed to do things and no or I can't is not the solution.  We now are instilling the "I will try my best," attitude with Grayson.  Because what I learned after I switched teachers in April with Grayson that he can in fact do a lot of things, but he was not pushed to do so... if he said no they would just let him be.  His new teachers encouraged him and cheered him along the way and showed him that he can do things on his own along with a tutor that we hired for about three months.   

We are also trying different social activities to teach Grayson and show him it is okay to be away from mommy and daddy and we will be there to cheer him along the way.  He just started soccer about a week ago and his first practice started with the following, "mommy just cancel this!"  I told him that once we start something we can't quit and that cancelling it was not an option.  Instead I told him that he had to go and try his best and that mommy and daddy would be on the side watching and cheering him on.  It was painful to watch how sad Grayson was at the beginning and he just didn't want to be there, BUT about half way through he realized this was FUN.  At the end of the practice Grayson came running to us and said, "mommy you don't have to cancel soccer."  The reason I share this is it would have been easy just to take Grayson home because it would have made him happy in that moment of sadness, but as a parent sometimes we have to do "tough" stuff and let them experience moments that make them nervous or anxious.  In the end for this situation it was a win win and I know in my heart we made the right decision to push Grayson. 

Now back to the Kindergarten Topic - I have no doubt that Chad and I made the best decision for Grayson.  I would personally rather hold him back now than in future grades when he is more aware of what is going on.  He doesn't ask "why" he isn't in Kindergarten - if it comes up I just tell him when he is SIX it is his turn.  I just pray that when he is SIX he is more than ready to step out of our car and walk those footsteps to Elementary School with confidence that I GOT THIS Mommy!  I want him to be excited each and every day for school especially for Kindergarten because boy oh boy he has many years ahead of him. 

I am not expecting that Grayson will be well above others when he enters Kindergarten, I just want him to be socially ready to take those steps with his own confidence and not me pushing him to go to school every day.  Parenting is hard and there is no manual stating what to do and what not to do as parents.  I am just following what I think is best for my kids and consulting others where needed.  We all need to support one another and cheer each other on as parents.  

So on the EVE before Grayson enters PreK again this year my hope is that he walks out of Ms Melanie's, Ms Marcia's, Ms Alex's, and Ms Drew's class with confidence, following rules, excitement for learning and exploring, and a love for school.  I am sad that I won't be taking both my boys to their first day of school tomorrow, but they are in good hands with daddy.  To my fun loving boys mommy loves you both and I hope you have a great first day at school. 

have a beautiful one,