Kindergarten Readiness

So, two more weeks until the Big Day. John's starting kindergarten. I was feeling stressed. John's not ready. I'm not ready. He's a baby still. You get the gist. Of course, playing into my neuroses, I pull out the Kindergarten Readiness check list and see how we're doing. Which, of course, made me more stressed, more freaked. He's not READY.

Um...until I started applying the checklist to myself. Let's see if I'm ready for Kindergarten.

Social Development:

1. Can be taken away from parents without being overly upset. (um...check, unless my Mother's giving me her opinion on what I should wear or how clean my countertops are)

2. Can spend extended periods of time away from parents. (um...not really)

3. Explores and tries new things. (well...)

4. Curious and motivated to learn. (well...)

5. Puts away toys and helps with family chores. (not without complaining profusely)

6. Meets visitors without shyness. (check, yay!)

7. Finishes tasks. (not without complaining profusely)

8. Describes some basic emotions and feelings. (chuh, yeah...just ask my husband)

9. Expresses feelings and needs. (not without complaining profusely)

10. Recognizes authority. (I own a mirror!)

11. Gets along and plays cooperatively with other childern. (oh dear...)

12. Can take care of own toilet needs independently. (ok, I can...but there are others in this house...I'm not mentioning any names but it rhymes with Fim and he's hairy...nuf said?)

13. Feels good about self and talks easily. (I'm not answering that.)

14. Dresses self and cares for own belongings. (except everything I own ends up covered in Spaghettios)

Yeah, it's no longer John that I'm worried about.

Robin