Kindergarten Lunch Trauma

Well, my son’s first week passed by, and he was loving every minute of kindergarten. Ah, the honeymoon phase. This week, he’s starting to realize that there is WORK involved in school, and the mental energy it takes is just making his five-year-old brain implode. While he’s still enjoying himself, I can see a few things are starting to wear upon him. For instance, lunch.

You wouldn’t think that eating lunch would be such a big deal, but this is the first time in his little life that he’s had to eat in 30 minutes or less. For two days this week, he only managed to finish his apple and then had to return to class. My boy is one of those souls who will take an hour and a half to eat a meal. I’m sure his digestion must be wonderful, but he likes to eat slowly. Today, he confessed, “Mom, I need you to teach me how to eat my lunch.” And he was completely serious.

We discussed the reasons why it’s better to start with a sandwich, interspersed with chips, than to start with the apple that takes longer to eat. He listened and nodded thoughtfully, as though these were words of Great Wisdom. I’m not sure if it’ll make much of a difference, but he’ll be a happier boy if he’s eating more than an apple at lunch.

It’s a bigger adjustment than I realized. Even though he’s been in a preschool program at his daycare, it’s not quite the same. And what scares me is that, one day I’ll blink and he’ll be in high school. I’m trying to savor the time while he still gives his mommy hugs and colors pictures for me. I know it’ll end all too soon.