My barely five-year-old son Eric started kindergarten last week. On the first day I was expecting tears and clinging (more likely on my part than his) but after five minutes I was politely asked to leave. By my son!

He seemed so sure of himself, and, of course, I want to believe he will be fine. But I also have my doubts. Depending on the time of day, I think it is the smartest thing I have ever done or simply one more way I am sabotaging his education.

I am afraid I risk launching a tragic school career fraught with failures and lost opportunities along with serious errors in judgment. It will all be traced back to starting school before he was ready. I imagine him as a troubled teenager because he was robbed of his last year of childhood. He still won't share and will remain prone to screaming and demanding the impossible.

It will all be my fault.

I guess it is time to start adding change to the therapy jar.

The truth is I am more than a little worried about him. Socially, he is up for anything. He wants to try it all and has no fear of failing or anything else. He will just try again. But I feel like kindergarten has gotten so academic. Kids are expected to know so much before they even start school. Eric still has trouble with scissors. The only letters he knows are the ones in his name. If you ask about any other one he will guess: "S?"

At the end of the first day, a neighbor asked Eric how it went. His response was; “not well.” It actually went quite well for me! It was the best day I can remember. But for Eric it went on too long. He did great at school and I brought his sister, Alexandra, with me to pick up the boys. They were thrilled and off we went to Petco.

Alas, those extra errands were too much. Both my kids are stubborn but upon hearing that he could not purchase the enormous bag of dog treats he had handpicked for our dog, Eric lost it. He screamed so loud we were asked to leave Petco.

Hello! How bad do you have to behave to be ejected from a pet store?

Then I had to carry him to the car. Every few feet he demanded to walk by himself. When I fell for it, he lay down in the parking lot. This went on for a while till my stepdaughter had to force him into the car to the visible sympathy of everyone around us.

Good times.

All I can do is hope for the best. His teacher certainly has her work cut out for her.

By Cathy Burke

Labels: Cathy Burke

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