This Friday my son graduated from pre-K and to mark the occasion, they had a ceremony and party for them. Imagine a bunch of parents and family members in rows of minature chairs, dads lined up in the back with camcorders, and in march nine 5 year olds all dressed up and wearing a cap and tassle.  The ceremony was short but they did do the pledge of allegiance, signed the ABC's (more on that in a minute) and sang an "action" song.  My little man was very serious - he spent the whole week being anxious, wanting to make sure he did everything perfect -  we practiced at home so that he felt more comfortable, but still when they paraded in he had that face, of part embarassed smile, part serious concentration.  He may have his Dad's sports gene's, but he's got his mama's over-acheiveing ones too.  The night of the event he was given the very important task of counting off before each activity.  1-2-3 - and then all the kids would do their thing - my boy, the leader!

While I'm shocked that he will be 6 in a few months, I'm happy that we've coordinated taking the kids out of that school, the graduation, and moving to a  new house this week make, all the changes at one time so the transition goes better, we like to do bulk changes rather than long drawn out kind.  I used to love his day care/pre-school.  The teachers were top notch, the learning started very young, and you just knew you child was well taken care of, had fun, AND learned a thing or too.  But in the past few years things have gone down hill - not in a dramatic, get my kids the heck out of here way, but in that hmmmm, really, you didn't do any lessons today, sort of way.  We know why it's happening, they got a new center director and she's awful, so, all the good teachers have quit, the news one, if they're any good don't stay long, and what you know have is a babysitting service, not an extension of your family.  Like I said, I'm glad we're getting out.

So, for graduation the kids wanted to show us what they learned - they signed the ABC's.  Was there a deaf child in the class you ask - no.  Were there lessons about diversity and respecting all kinds of kids - nope.  Just some fancy finger work.  Now, I guess its good that kids know how to sign the ABC's, I mean, that way they'll really be able to talk to other deaf kids right?  Oh wait, not really THEY CAN"T SPELL YET!   I was hoping to see some reading in action - look we can read cat, hat, mat, bat, fat, and rat.  Or how about a song like c-o-w spells cow, or 2+2 =4 to a catchy beat?  Nope, we got signing the ABC's and a song about ducks and they got to shake their butt. 

Ok, I know, there is NO way I could ever be a teacher of a pre-K class - especially the one my son was in, 9 kids and 7 of them were boys - it was like lord of the flies in there, and just keeping them from harming and destroying the class would be a small feat.  Still, the point of pre-K is to get those kids to learn to sit the fuck down, listen to your teacher, and learn something.  The teacher I think tried, but I don't think she really knew what she was doing in a pre-K class.  So, the good news is that my son had a fun year, and now sign the alphabet - just this morning, I signed n-o and he figured out I was saying no!  Even better, he's a smart boy, so he won't be screwed when he goes to school.  He can read some, and his math skills are excellent - its kind of shocking to see him in action, one he figures out the logic behind the math, he's off to the races.  Still, that's some good ol parenting that brought that out, and despite my $1500/month at that school for both my kids, I don't think I can give them much credit.

So its good bye preschool, good bye baby boy, goodbye toddler, hello homework, dances, girlfriends (whores!), sports, and all the great things the school brings with it.  Still I shed a few tears that night, some were releif for leaving, but most were just for being so proud of him and seeing what a great kid he is.