Preschool Graduation - Or Maybe Not

Our Memorial Day weekend kicked off with Savannah's preschool graduation ceremony. It is assumed that most of the kids in her class will enter Kindergarten in the fall. We planned this for Savannah and have her registered. However, after attending the Kindergarten open house, I had misgivings. I finally gave into that nagging feeling in my stomach and asked the director of her preschool if there was a spot in the 5's class next fall. There was ONE! Well, there was my sign. I asked Savannah if she wanted to go to her preschool or to Kindergarten next year and she enthusiastically replied, "To Brandywine." That sealed the deal and took a tremendous "worry weight" off of my shoulders. Not surprisingly, Savannah asked a few days later, "Are my Kindergarten teachers going to be sad that I wanted to go to the Brandywine School?"

Savannah makes the cut off for Kindergarten by two days which would most likely make her the youngest student in the school. Academically, I do not think that poses a problem. Socially and emotionally, it does. Unfortunately Savannah took a little bit my personality (worrier/perfectionist) and paired it with a little bit of her Daddy's personality (wall flower/pleaser) and has created a very sweet and thoughtful little girl. The kicker is, that this sweet little girl worries about EVERYTHING and tries to please everyone at any cost. She lacks confidence and is "much more cerebral than most kids her age." (words from her preschool director) While most kids are running around and not giving much thought to things, Savannah is caught up by the litter she sees in the parking lot, the ant she accidentally stepped on and the name that so and so called so on so at school. She allows kids to "take advantage" because she is too scared to stand up for herself. She is slow at seat work because she is afraid her teacher will be disappointed if it isn't perfect. I am finding it hard to describe her without writing a book but the above is representative of the many reasons we are keeping her in preschool (a.k.a. out of the real world).

This, of course, did not lesson our enthusiasm for her "graduation." Savannah's class sang a few songs before walking across the stage to get hugs and a diploma from their teachers. I had a hard time holding back the tears. She looks so old! I can already feel her slipping away.


She got to use rollers for the very first time!


Still loves her Bunny and Teddy Bear


Her Diploma


Savannah and Mrs. Jones


Savannah and Mrs. Weinberg


Trying to get a picture of all three girls in the same dress for the first time.