Nobody Asked Me
It’s bedtime and Tate is beside herself, exhausted.
Going from half-day kindergarten to full days of first grade has been epic for her. She falls on the ground in the kitchen every day, right when we get home from school. Flailing about, she releases all the energy pent up from having steeled herself all day long, doing her best to participate as a leader and learner.
And, by bedtime, she’s absolutely drained - from her long day, her afternoon release and everything in between. Many nights she just wants to be held, to be touching, to be close. To sleep with me.
We’re curled up and she’s going on and on about how much she misses me during the day.
Through sniffles, “I just see you in the morning and then I don’t see you again until the afternoon and the afternoon goes so fast and before I know it it’s bedtime, and I’ve barely even been with you, Mamaaaaa…”
I agree, “I know, baby. It’s a lot of time apart. School is most of the day, five days a week. I get it. It’s a big change for me, too. I miss you, too. At least you love Alice, your teacher.”
“I know but I miss you, Mama. I love school but I miss you so, so, so much,” she cries, curling up closer under my arm, stretched out over her as a wing.
“This is your first year of all-day school, sweetheart. You’ll get used to it in time. You’ve got lots of school years ahead of you and pretty soon, you’ll find a rhythm with it …”
“I know that, Mama. I’ve already been figuring it out. There are like fifty weeks in the year and I think twelve or thirteen years of school now, before college, of being away from you - all day every day!”
Not the best thing for me to bring up, whoops.
“No, well, it’s just five days a week, sweetie …”
“STILL. That’s a lot!” Now, she’s indignant. “That’s most of the days of the week! I mean, who decided this was a good idea, Mama? Who decided that seven hours a day of school is right? WHO? I want to know who decided this. Because nobody asked me! Nobody talked to the kids about it!”
She goes on and on about the gall of the school district and the government (which I tried to explain regulates school requirements) to decide what’s best for six-year-olds.
“Nobody askedddddddd me …” she cries and cries and cries until her eyes won’t open anymore.
