Well. I did it. I dropped LilZ off at his first day of middle school. It’s all downhill from here. Soon there will be girlfriends and parties and drugs and rock-n-roll and he’ll never need me again except for bail money.
Or something dramatic like that.
LilZ has always been so amazing and adaptable. He never backs away from the chance to try new things or meet new people. He goes to summer camp every summer knowing NOBODY and doesn’t even flinch when I leave him there. He’s switched school four times since kindergarten and comes home with best friends the first week. He’s just a laid back social kid who I’ve never had to force to do anything.
Until today.
I thought I was going to have to shove him out of the car, he was so nervous. I drove around the school twice (never really sure if I was in the right place, why does it take an engineering degree to figure out school drop-off routes) and he was shaking the entire time. He asked me, “What was harder, your first day of middle school or high school?” I had to break it to him that I never switched for middle school, I was in the same building 1st through 8th grade. It was a very small catholic school. Hell, even my high school was smaller than his middle school is.
“No fair,” he moaned “why can’t I go to a school like that?”
“You don’t look good in plaid.”
LilZ is going to do awesome. He’s such a cool kid, and middle school will really open up his schedule to take classes he likes! They should put on some pretty rockin’ drama productions, etc. that he would never have gotten the chance to do in elementary school.
Go LilZ!
Oh, god. First days (school, work, etc) are awful no matter what. You could not pay me enough money or bribe me with enough booze to go back and do that all over again. Good luck LilZ.
2 weeks from now, I get to drop my *14yo* off for her first day of school…. ever. We’ve always homeschooled up until this year. I don’t know which of us is more nervous: me or her.
::good vibes::
here’s hoping it isn’t too awful…maybe the sixth grader isolation bubble will protect him from the abject, festering eve-ill that is the eighth grade soul.
dude! i think i’ve been reading your site for a few years now, on and off, and you’ve officially hit that point …
the point when you post a picture of your son and he no longer looks like a little kid.
i remember the moment with each of my little brothers (now 13 and 17) when i looked at them and they looked like little adult men. it was scary and wonderful all at the same time.
lilz is officially in that place. AAAAWWWW!!!
and you know he’ll come home today with ten new friends, and will be the unofficial head of the school. he’ll do fine.
He looks like he’s grown up a lot this summer. Less of a “kid” face. Good luck, LilZ!
I have been reading your blog for long time – and I had to leave comment today….I watched my “baby” girl get on the bus today for 7th grade (new school). I am with you on this one! It was so hard. Wait until NikiZ – just wait! I will have LilZ in my thoughts right after mine! Hope all goes well!
Wow, his school starts early! I remember when they switched my school from starting after labor day to the week before because we always had so many snow days that we were going to the end of June, and I thought that was too early!
Just in case you’re considering it… PLEASE don’t make the boy cut his hair. It is way, way cute and makes him look so much older! Dude’s gonna be a lady killer this year.
I dropped my oldest off at FIRST GRADE today. *sniffles* I still can’t figure out where I go to pick him up. I eventually will find him…I WILL!
Tell LilZ that after today all will be great. He will laugh at the fact that he was so nervous… Middle school was okay for me, High schol was a little scary because the classrooms were NOT in order and hard to find. But I’ll tell you going to college.. for me was worse than all put together. I was shaking so bad, I almost dropped by books. I had to grab onto the side of the wall as I was walking into the classroom. Lets talk about scary. Hope LilZ had a good 1st day. I can’t believe he already started school. Here in Michigan the kids start after labor day. The govenor passed a law stating every school in Michigan has to start then. I’ll be posting a similar post on 9/07/06 when my daughter goes to 1st grade…
As long as there’s a good reason…
I’m freaked out about the first day of school, and I have to be the teacher this time. *shudder*
I literally almost shot diet coke straight out of my nose when I read “You don’t look good in plaid.” That’s what I get for drinking and reading I guess. 🙂
What a wonderful photo! I’ve taught 5th and 6th grade for many years (previously, that is) and I always tell the kids that the hardest part of the day is opening that darn combination lock on their locker. Usually a few days of practice before school starts always helps.
What a great picture. He sure looks like a sweet kid and despite his nerves, I am sure he had a great first day at school.
I was gonna say something similar–“You’d look kinda funny in a plaid jumper and knee-high socks.”
My oldest baby starts HIGH SCHOOL on Monday! Arrrghhh!! I am sure he is nervous, but he ain’t showing it. My youngest baby starts seventh grade and he just wants me to drop him off at the bus stop! I remember being terrified of forgetting my locker combination, so much so that I would have nightmares about it. My boys are so self sufficient and my youngest has the kind LilZ heart too. Always asking me if I need anything i.e. cold drink, more ice, a snack…when he was seven years old he wanted to be a waiter! Congrats toLilZ for beginning his transformation into young manhood.