Parents have their own 1st day jitters
By: Jessica Beym
Five-year-old Kathryn DeMilt jumped on her mother’s bed early one morning this week and wanted to know how many days were left until she got to ride the big yellow bus.
With her new lunch box, book bag and outfit picked out, Kathryn is eager for her first day of kindergarten at Cranbury School to roll around.
Mary DeMilt, Kathryn’s mother, said she’s excited for her youngest daughter to start school, meet new friends, and begin an educational journey.
But to see her last baby off to school on Wednesday might be a little difficult, she said.
"I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself," said Ms. DeMilt, who has two other kids at the Cranbury School 7-year-old Brendan and 10-year-old Kristi.
Many parents said their young ones are anxious for summer to end and for school to start. Families have purchased supplies, practiced walking to school at 8 a.m., and given the kids a chance to meet their fellow classmates.
To help students get comfortable with the school and their classrooms, the faculty held a kindergarten orientation in May. Kids got a chance to see where they’d be learning, meet their teachers and play with future classmates. They even got a chance to ride on the school bus.
At home, parents said they’ve taken many steps to ease their children’s transition into the school. Many parents enrolled their kids in local preschools, including the Cranbuddies program at the Cranbury School, which gave the young ones a sense of structure and a chance to meet some of the faces they’ll see this fall.
Other kids spent the summer at the Cranbury Recreation Camp, which was held at the school, so they’ve gotten to know their way around the halls.
Checking out library books about kindergarten has also been a big help, said Jill Staples, whose twins, Jack and Drew, start school this week.
"The library has a great selection about entering school, so we’ve been reading about it and they’re asking questions," Ms. Staples said. "I think they’re more excited than nervous."
Ms. Staples said she and her boys took practice walks to school in the morning from their Griggs Road home.
"We walk it now, but we stop and look at rocks and that whole thing, so we’ll do a couple practice drills," Ms. Staples said.
Hanging out at the school playground and arranging play dates through the Mothers’ Club has also been helpful, some moms said.
Linda Howard, a member of the Mothers’ Club, said she has met a great group of young mothers with children that are the same age as her son, Dillon.
"I think, initially, the kids are excited at school because they know each other," said Ms. Howard, who is a kindergarten teacher at the Chapin School in New York. "It usually takes a day or two but they get into the swing of things quite quickly. And the play dates help."
Grace Thomson will also be sending her first-born off to school this week. But because Julia is a December-baby, Ms. Thomson said she thinks her daughter has been ready to go for quite some time.
"She’s going to be on the older side, so she’s raring to go," Ms. Thomson said. "She’s very excited about getting her back pack and her lunch box and everything else that goes along with going to ‘the big school.’ That’s what we call it."
In preparation and also to pass time during the summer Ms. Thomson said she and Julia practiced writing and reading in a few workbooks.
"Luckily for me, she has a passion for learning," Ms. Thomson said. "I think it will be a good experience and I don’t feel any anxiety about her not wanting to leave my side. She’s ready."
Joining the kindergarten class is also another set of twins Megan and Morgan Mavoides. Susan Mavoides, their mother, said this would be the first year the girls are separated.
In preschool last year they were in the same class.
"They’re a little excited, a little scared," Ms. Mavoides said. "A lot of people asked me if I’m going to be sad. But if you’re kids are excited and they’re prepared, it’s part of a parents job to be excited too. Probably the saddest part about it is that we don’t get to ride the bus."

