Rugrat's First Day of School

Friday was Rugrat's first day of school.

She has been excited about it since we started talking it up shortly before her 5th birthday. She had a few misunderstandings about it though.In fact, not too long ago she had this conversation with an older lady behind us in line at the store.

(condensed)
Lady: how old are you?

Rugrat: 5

Lady: do you go to school?

Rugrat(with my help): I'll start in the fall.
Rugrat: do you go to school?

Lady: No, I don't go to school anymore.

Rugrat: Oh. You're 6?

She was pretty sure that, at 6, you went to work. In fact, she has been compiling a list of places to work for quite a while. They include McDonald's, Arby's, Taco Bell, Staples, Walmart, etc. As she puts it, "I work at all a 'dem."

While I was happy with the friendliness of the school office when I registered her, I was completely UN-impressed on Open House night. Although we waited for her, the teacher barely said two sentences to us and the whole thing was just chaos. Both Hubby and I were disappointed to put it mildly.

Friday was her first day so we were up at the crack of dawn (have I mentioned about a million times that I am not an early bird?) and she was her usual chipper self. Even more so because she was excited.

I tried multiple times to get her to show her Hello Kitty lunchbox but she wasn't getting me. Plus she thought her new backpack (Barbie, of course) tickled her shoulders.

But we were off. 

Since we didn't really get to on Open House night, I attempted to explain -quickly- Rugrat's eye conditions and that she had only been speaking English for 2 years to the teacher. She pretty much blew me off completely as a nervous mother. She told me to go home and have a good cry, she'd be fine. uh huh.

When I was persistent, she did at least address the English thing but I still don't think she gets that there is so much going on with her eyes. As she walked off to speak with someone else, I felt really frustrated and finally just told Rugrat goodbye.

I was further frustrated that afternoon as I waited over 50 minutes in line to pick her up. She was brought out to the car looking rather zombie like. I assumed it was due to a long day and no nap.

On the way home though, I realized after talking to her that she hadn't been able to get her drink open at lunch, no one helped her, and so hadn't had a drink all day. She downed everything in her drink container and then had a little more when we got home. 

Not the best first day in any of our opinions.

I know we're used to private school but I really didn't expect this kind of total disinterest from the people there. Hubby and I have been discussing our options already but private school simply isn't one of them here. We took a significant pay cut to be closer to family (which was still the best choice). 

It has been only two different times that we've observed them. And one was the first day. So we've pretty much decided to give it at least a week and see if there is improvement. 

If not, it looks like I will be enrolling her in the virtual school as well. She and I went over the sample lessons for kindergarten and she seemed to like them quite a bit even though most were above her skill level. In fact, she kept asking for more.

A group of kids meets each week at our church building for a playdate so that would give her interaction with other kids as well as the other activities she's in there. We also talked about a mother's day out program maybe once or twice a week if we need to. Or a sport group. She really likes soccer and I think she might get into gymnastics or dance if she had a chance.

There are also several home school families in our congregation whom I am already good friends with so I know that we could get together for fellowship, field trips and the like. And it would make for a good support system as well.

The main reasons I wanted her to go to a class setting was to learn to read (teaching her that makes me really nervous) and so that a qualified person would be able to recognize and address any learning issues she might have. I personally don't think she does but I also recognize that I don't have experience with that either. 

However that second concern is kind of moot if the teacher has too many students and too much to do to even notice if there might be a problem. After discussing it, that student/teacher ratio is Hubby's main concern too.

That and the college prep curriculum were the two main reasons we paid for private school before. So, we really don't know what to do at this point except wait and see. I think if she even expresses the least little dislike for going back, Hubby will pull her immediately -- one full week or no.

I'm just trying really hard to not be too hasty and to make the right choice for her. We definitely need your prayers on this. I honestly am at a loss. I didn't expect the same experience as private school but I did think her teacher would give a hoot. 

Every public school teacher I currently know is excited and attached to their students before they even get there. Can I request one of those, please?