For a lot of us parents here in Austin, it is the First day of Kindergarten!
I remember expansive grounds and what seemed then like an enormous building dwarfing my 3 year-old self. I remember kicking and screaming, holding on to my mommy’s saree-pallu. I remember the navy blue uniform and white badge (because we were not divided into the four different school houses yet). And then it shifts to another moment in memory. The school backyard playground had lots of soft sand. I had been at school a few days and I was intently staring at worms in the ground. There was another girl alongside me and I think we became friends. I don’t remember her anymore but I remember how I felt and I felt happy and good.
Those are my earliest memories of school. In India we start everything early so there I was, in Kinder at 3. I was born in june so I was just the right age to begin school which started later that month if my memory does not betray me. I stayed at that school for 12 long years and have some of mostly the best memories of my school years. There were some challenging times, but, now at this age the good ones stand out more 🙂
I wonder what my child will remember as she starts her first day at kindergarten today. She’s a little over 5 and when I was gushing over the ‘start of school’ she looked at me quizzically and reminded me that technically that seemed to have started already. We did go to a few playdates and orientation sessions. She’s not quite sure what all the hoopla is about!
