Preschool Gestapo

Preschool is tough. Not for Ava, for me.

I arrive at preschool at what I thought was normal time, a few minutes before 9am. I am stopped at the stairs by a lady who says we can't go to the room because we are too early. Perhaps we should try to arrive a little closer to the time that preschool starts. Hmm. I check my watch. It is 8:51am. Then the lady tells me that we cannot stand there we must take ourselves out to the other hallway and wait for it to be closer to preschool drop off time.

Hmmm again. In the Anna Karenina sized preschool folder I received at the 2 hour orientation it said that preschool begins at 9am. I take Ava out in the hallway amongst a few questions from her about why can't she go to preschool at that exact time. She rebels by putting her feet on the bench where we must sit. I maturely decide simply let her get dirt on their bench.

I carefully wait until after 9am to try again. Wouldn't want to be the first one up the stairs after said incident. I grab the hand rail with one hand and Ava's hand with my other hand and we start towards her room. There is lots of activity now. I hear the Gestapo lady again shouting at me, "Please make sure YOUR preschooler is holding the handrail." I look around and she is hand gesturing to me to under do or die circumstances that my preschooler must not be allowed to take one step without the aid of the handrail. I know that this was my opportunity for a Zen moment...amongst the Lutherns at the preschool no doubt. Unfortunately, I chose not to take it. Instead I mutter under my breath, "I am sure she will be fine since MY hand is on the hand rail." Mature, I know. I force a smile at my daughter and tell her to have a great time at prechool today. She bounces forward, places her lunch box in the basket, her bag on the correct peg and skips off saying, "See you at 1pm Mom."

Hmmm...if she is ok with all this I probably should let this one go, you know since I let the first opportunity at complete and total peace and random acts of kindness go. Note to self: volunteer in preschool class room next month....make sure everyone is holding the hand rail and showing up within 30 seconds of optimum drop off and pick up time. Shheeeess!