School Started

Yesterday was Gabby's 1st day of 1st grade. I just can't believe my little girl is already in 1st grade. The time seems to have just slipped by. She did so great getting ready for school & getting on the bus. I was so proud of her! The first week of school the buses are late picking up & dropping off the kids as they learn their new routes. So we spent quite a bit of time waiting for the bus which made me nervous. I thought that all the waiting might make her not want to get on the bus. But she did fantastic!

When Gabby got home from school yesterday she said, "boy was that a long bus ride." And she kept saying things like, "guess what Mom?" We did this, and that, and this, and that. She was so excited to tell me all about her day. She said that she wished lunch would have been a little sooner since she was hungry so she ate almost all her lunch & saved a snack for waiting for the bus. She has a few kids in her class this year that were from her old class which is nice. Makes it not quite so 'new' for EVERYTHING. When I asked her about her teacher she said, "Mrs. Fisher is FUN!" I like the sounds of that. Gabby likes to be a little goofy now & then so I think they will get along just fine. I took some pics but haven't gotten them onto my computer just yet. I will do that soon & add them here.

Today.....has been another story. Gabby had a bit of a tougher time getting up this morning. She was also a little slower at eating but seemed just fine for going out to wait for the bus. It was a little chilly so I kept picking her up to warm her up & then I set her down when I saw the bus coming. The bus pulled up and she tried to run the opposite direction & told me she wasn't getting on the bus. I had to lift her up & set her on the steps of the bus so the bus driver could hold her backpack so she wouldn't try to get off the bus while he closed the doors. She stood there & cried. He tried to get her to sit down on her own but ended up having to unbuckle & put her into a seat. I think he even had to have another child move so she could sit down. What a mess! Anyone have ideas of how to get her past this? I am at a loss. This has been going on to some degree for the last 4 years now. She would get on the bus in preschool & cry & fight but was calmed down before they even left our parking lot when we lived in the apartments. Then last year she would sometimes get on the bus just fine & other times she'd fight & try to run away. I don't know how to find out what's going on in her head because I'm not sure she even knows. I think she does fine once she gets to school but today I am having my doubts. Last year she did refuse to get off the bus once & her teacher took snack time away from her. She earned it back but she never refused to get off the bus the rest of the year. Only trouble getting on. I know she enjoys school. I don't have doubts about that but it has something to do with leaving home. That separation from home to school, and sometimes from school to home is what can be difficult. What's a mom to do?