Last Day of Preschool

Maggie wrapped up preschool yesterday by participating in her school's Mini-Indy.  This event involved a decorated bike riding course, a bike parade led by a real, live police man on his motorcycle, bike races and fully stocked snack bar.  

The bike course was set up in a local park that had lots of interwoven paths that were perfect for biking.  Kids were able to decorate their bikes, then ride through a special stands like a bike wash, a mechanic shop and even fill up with gas.  (Prices at their filling station were well under $3 a gallon and all the parents were quite jealous.)  

This event was the culmination of Maggie's preschool.  Their school didn't do a graduation with caps and gowns, it was all about bike riding.  And frankly, the kids enjoyed this more than a formal event.  

Maggie and her friends rode their bikes for ninety minutes and only stopped when her bottom was too sore to stay in the saddle.  She giggled quite a bit, glared at boys who tried to run her over, crashed her bike into riders that blocked her path several times and complained I was slowing her down when I tried to adjust her helmet.    

It's hard to believe that our preschool years are now behind us.  And even harder to believe my baby is starting kindergarten in the fall.  Our journey through preschool started off a bit rough.  We only lasted six weeks in La Nina's first school (a very hoity, toity, academically rigorous institution) but we got better at picking schools as time went by.  And my big lesson learned in preschool:  forget the academics.  Preschools will tell you it matters for kindergarten, and it does a little.  Your kid needs to know how to sit still, use scissors and follow directions for kindergarten.  Not much else.  It's more important to trust your gut when you're picking a preschool. The only thing that really matters is that the preschool is meeting your child's needs and parents know what their kids need.

I'll miss these preschool years.  The little events, the class parties, all the fun and frivolous art projects.  From here on out, fun takes a back seat to learning for both of our girls and I'm a little sad about that.  Kindergartners are so under the gun to learn to read, that fun is pushed aside and in the interest of EDUCATION.  At least both kids had great preschool experiences and I can only hope that leads to more success as they move through their years of schooling.