Growing up

Yesterday we visited the school my son will attend next year.

We toured the classrooms, met his future principal, kindergarten teachers, school nurse and secretary, and even boarded a school bus.

His Dad and I beamed as he aced his kindergarten readiness test by printing his name, knowing all of the ABCs, counting from 1 to 20, identifying shapes, and coming up with words that rhymed with cat and fish. The only question that stumped him was what he wanted to be called in school. He haltingly said the short version of his first name, looking at me for assurance that he was answering correctly.

He seemed most impressed by the live gerbils and stuffed Dr. Seuss characters in one kindergarten classroom, the playground and the library, where he immediately spied a Goosebumps book we hadn't read yet. He was disappointed that he couldn't yet check out the book and bring it home.

He was pretty quiet as we drove home. I can tell he's processing the visit. "Mom, what happens if I miss the bus?" he asked first thing this morning. "What do you do in a gymnasium?" came the next question as were in transit from the grocery store.