New School Year

Wow! A high schooler, a middle schooler and two fourth graders. How is it possible? 

It was strange to have the littles at the elementary school without the bigs. And, it was strange to have the bigs in the van together to drop off and pick up. In some ways it felt like going back in time, to when the littles weren't in "real" school, and in other ways was completely new and foreign. 

Ruby and Eliza Claire had a much calmer first day than the older two. Yes, it's a new year and new teachers, but it's the same school and mostly the same classmates. I think they like the idea of being on their own without their older siblings. 

Rehm was not a happy camper this morning. He put off his summer reading project to the very last minute and underestimated the time it would require. He went into panic mode last night around 10:00. He finished reading the book around 11:30 but did not start the writing part of the assignment until this morning. At one point, he looked at me and asked, "why didn't you make me do this earlier?" I laughed and explained that he was in high school and I had given him several reminders throughout the summer but that ultimately it was his responsibility to get his stuff done not mine. 

He left for school with the assignment at best half done. He was sure he would fail the assignment and/or class and the teacher would hate him.  Otherwise, he was not nervous about his first day of high school at all. 

Charlotte was nervous but determined not to show it. She did a great job. She was stressed about not getting to school on time to meet her friend Ellie but otherwise seemed cool and confident. 

It was fun to hear how everyone's day actually went. 

Eliza Claire had a great day except for the ten minutes her class was evacuated so that a very large spider could be removed. I would have thought she was exaggerating the size until she told us they had to leave until it was dealt with.

Rub had a rather uneventful first day. But she is missing her friend Jolie who is going to a different school this year. 

Rehm came home with homework. He did not have to turn in the Summer reading assignment today.  He has until Wednesday to get it finished. He liked two of his classes and did not like the other two. One he already sees as a complete waste of his time. It will be interesting to see how it goes. He's hoping to like more of his classes tomorrow. 

Charlotte had a good day. Her only complaints were that she got lost a couple of times and ended up in a "forbidden" hallway and was told she couldn't be there; and, she fell and messed up her glasses (they are fixed now). 

One moment that stood out today. When I picked Rehm up, he asked if we were picking up Charlotte. I told him we were. He got in the back seat instead of the front. When I commented on it, he said, "it's her first day at big school, she deserves it."