The First Day Back

Yesterday was our first day back to work and school. Well, the first day for everyone else. I went back last Tuesday... It was a rough day. To start with, no one wanted to get up early. Gabe just wanted to snuggle the day away. He was fine when we got to school, but Josy didn’t want to go in his classroom, so I sat on the floor with him on my lap for 20 minutes while he watched the other kids play, until he decided that he wanted to join them.

I picked them up and I asked Gabe how his day was and he told me it was hard. I asked him why and he asked if he could have a popsicle. So, I’m not sure why it was hard. I never got a straight answer. But over the course of the evening he did mention two of his friends that used to be at school, but aren’t any more.

I think his big problem is that he misses his friends. There were seven kids that have been at school with him since they were in the baby room and in the last year, six of them have left. Three moved, three are still in town but switched schools or didn’t come back after quarantine. He also lost a couple more friends that were newer friends, but that he’d gotten to be good friends with. And they either went to kindergarten or moved. It’s almost an entirely new group of kids and it’s hard on him. 

He was a cranky mess last night. But we let the boys watch some Blippi, made homemade chicken nuggets and he and Daddy read some Redwall and I think he’s better this morning. But transitions are hard and it’s even harder when your friends are gone.