Kindergarten: Game On

It started out well enough. We trucked the whole family out to the driveway to wait, with excited anticipation, for the big yellow school bus to arrive and pick Aidan up for his first day. See how happy he looks? So happy. So very, very happy.

There were hugs all around. Some excited waves as neighbors drove by us. And Brennan rocked his early morning fashion statement of a sweatshirt hastily thrown over his Batman pjs with crocs.



And then the bus arrived. Aidan's cousins excitedly waved from the bus as the big door swung open. Aidan made it up one stair and well, then it all just went to shit. My dream Kodak moment shot of my little boy climbing up the stairs on his first real school bus looks like this:

This is Aidan running back to grab me after making it up only one stair of the school bus. After this picture was taken, we endured ten minutes of screaming as Aidan clutched my leg, my arm or any other part of my body he could hang onto while he wailed in terror. I did everything I could to get him on that bus, including climbing right up there with him. Nothing worked. He screamed louder. Minutes ticked by and the line of cars behind the bus snaked around the block. Finally, we admitted defeat and let the bus head on to school without Aidan.

Unfortunately, we still had to get the kid to school. The meltdown continued inside the house until Chris carried him, screaming, into the car to drive him. Apparently, he cried and screamed (Aidan, not Chris - although I am sure Chris was tempted) the whole ride to school. When they arrived at school, the principal took Aidan, wailing, and told Chris she would walk Aidan to his classroom. We were told by the principal and by kind family and friends that Aidan calmed down once he was inside of his classroom.

And this afternoon? Aidan rode the bus home. Without a tear or a sniffle. Of course, I don't have a Kodak moment picture to share of his triumphant bus return because I was too busy opening my arms for a giant hug from my little kindergartner.

But if you ever want to see the meltdown to end all meltdowns? We have video of the entire morning. Chris caught the whole thing on our camcorder. I may make Aidan watch it when he's 18 and off to college.