How I Survived Kindergarten

I'm a little worried this post is going to come off as self-righteous. That is completely not my intent. I am aware, sometimes painfully aware, of my imperfections and short comings. I simply want to show what worked for me in hopes it can help someone else and by writing it down, it actually helps me keep it up...

I thought I would write a quick list of the ways I survived Lizzy's first year of school. It can be a bit tough some days watching her walk into school at 7:45am and then picking her up again at 3:00pm knowing that I will never know every single thing that happened to her as she spent those hours away from home each day. Who said something mean to her? Who said something inappropriate to her? Was she nice to others? Did she goof off in class? Did something break her heart? Is her teacher able to give her the attention she needs? Does she have friends?

Don't get me wrong, most days are fine and I do trust her and know that she is a good girl but some days, I had to go down my check list to make sure I had done all I could:

1. Did we have family prayer before school?
2. Did we have family scripture study before school?
3.  Did we have Family Home Evening this week?
4. Did I let her know enough that I love her and adore her and that nothing she ever does, or doesn't do, will ever, ever, ever change that?
5. Did she eat a good breakfast and get some vitamins so that her brain will work well?
6. Did I express my complete confidence in her ability to learn and grow and understand?

Now, before you start thinking, "No one is that perfect!", let me assure you that you are correct! :) Not all of these things happened each morning or each week and most of the time I was on the verge of just forgetting all of it. But somehow I found the strength to accomplish all of this despite the tremendous opposition of stressful school mornings. Let me explain...

1. Family Prayer: Most mornings Troy and I are doing our best to corral Ben and Lizzy together long enough for a prayer. Sometimes this corralling included yelling and sometimes the corralling continued to take place even during the prayer. Our prayers were short and sometimes hurried and sometimes I would think, "We don't have time for this! She's going to be late!" But then the Holy Ghost would say, "Let her be late then. Prayer is more important." Thank goodness he was able to get through my stressed out mommy brain on those mornings. (BTW - she was never late, never. Prayer works miracles!) Prayer is VITAL!! Armor on? Shields up? Check.

2.  Family scripture study: This would take place around the kitchen table while we quickly shoved food into our mouths. It consisted of Troy reading MAYBE 5 verses each day and me saying, "Lizzy and Ben did you hear what Daddy said?" (usually because it seemed that they weren't paying attention at all) Lizzy was then usually able to tell us one thing that Daddy said and so I didn't push it. My fear is that if I expect too much out of this time, it will stop all together and that would be a tragedy. Maybe this is the wrong philosophy but for now, it works and so I'm not going to push it. Armor on? Helment of Salvation in place? Belt of Truth secure? Sword of the spirit ready? Check.

3. Family Home Evening: Refer to my post "Onion Tears? I Don't Think So." and know that this is by far the activity I struggle with the most. Even so, it happens most of the time but I'm getting better. Armor on? Breastplate of Righteousness secure? Feet shod with the Gospel of truth? Check.

4. Good breakfast with Vitamins: I've done a lot of studying about our brains and how to help them function at their best. A good breakfast (not a lot of sugary cereal) with a children's multi-vitamin is my way of doing what I can to help her have an easier time learning in school each day. I do want to mention, however, that Ben's pediatrician said that even cereal for breakfast is better than no breakfast and that carried me through on the mornings cold cereal was the only plan that worked (which happened more often than I had hoped). Physical body taken care of? Armor on? Check.

5. Confidence and Unconditional Love: I don't know any other way to say this, as I've said it before, but I have grown to view unconditional love for your children as a vitamin, antibiotic and/or vaccine helping us to protect ourselves against the fiery darts of the adversary. My husband sees people in his office all day, every day, who did not get this vaccine as a child. I do not say that lightly. The only knowledge we can give our children that is of greater import than knowing and trusting our love is teaching them to know and trust the love of our Savior and our Father in Heaven. I cannot be with Lizzy and Ben wherever they go, but our Father CAN and WILL. Our children must know this to their very core. Armor on? Check!


If I could go down my check list, checking each item off as "done", then I knew I had done all I could and the rest was in our Father's very capable hands. I could rest easy and trust Him to take care of her - after all He was her parent long before she was sent to me.

Now I have written here that this is what I did for Elizabeth, but, naturally, Benjamin received the same treatment. I still have one more school year before I send him off to kindergarten. I am determined to not waste that year. All too soon my babies will both be gone for a great amount of the day. I must prepare Benjamin the same as I have worked to prepare Elizabeth.

One more action that made all the difference for me this year...I volunteered in Lizzy's classroom once a week. This may not always be possible but as long as I am able, I will do this for both of my children. The benefits were unexpected. I grew to know and love her teacher more as I watched her work with 32 5-year-olds each day. Her teacher knew she had my support. I was able to do the teacher's menial tasks so that she could spend more time with her students (my daughter). I also grew to know and love the other students in Lizzy's class. When talked about "so and so", I knew exactly whom she was talking about. I had a good relationship with the other students, which in turn helped them also know Lizzy better. I was also able to interact with the other teachers and staff who have a direct influence on my daughter on a daily basis. Plus, Lizzy loved me being there. Her favorite day of the week was Tuesday because that was my volunteering day. I'll take that for as long as I can get it!

I grew to view public education like this: Elizabeth's most important and most influential teacher is me. Her education is MY responsibility, no one else. I am choosing to put her in a public school as part of that education. In a sense, the school faculty and staff, are like private contractors whom I have hired to help me with my responsibility. Notice I wrote "help me." They are not in charge of her education, I am. Therefore, by being involved at the school, I am making sure MY responsibility is being met. That could sound a bit harsh but I don't mean it that way. I fully support the administration of Ronald Regan School. They are doing a fabulous job and I want to do all I can to help them keep up the good work!

Wowsers! This post has been a whole lot longer than I meant for it to be! I guess I feel this pretty strongly. I meant every word and I am doing all I can to live up to what I have written here. As I've been typing this I keep hearing the words, "Mother's Who Know" run through my mind. It is from an amazing talk given by LDS General Relief Society president Julie B. Beck. She said:

"The responsibility mothers have today has never required more vigilance. More than at any time in the history of the world, we need mothers who know. Children are being born into a world where they “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). ¹ However, mothers need not fear. When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with Him, they will have great power and influence for good on their children" President Julie B. Beck