Kindergarteners are the Cutest

When I was teaching I didn't want to go near Kindergarteners with a 10 foot pole. They were short, sometimes cried, and were just too new to the whole school thing...these tiny little people cohabitating in a school with older, wiser students who've been around the block a few times, so to speak.

Well, I think I've changed my tune. Thomas has taught me that Kindergarteners are actually the cutest things EVER. Here are some reasons:

1. They are wide-eyed and eager to learn--they haven't been exposed to the pressures of testing and impossible expectations.

2. Thomas made a George Washington hat for Presidents' Day (see above picture), and he wore it ALL THE WAY HOME on the bus. When he hopped off the school bus, I watched as he leapt off the last step, huge smile on his face, proudly sporting his contruction paper masterpiece. I was ashamed that my first thought was, "Oh dear. Someone is going to make fun of him with that on."

3. This next one is annoying sometimes, but still cute. His teacher hung the moon, and she's a genius. Mrs. Taylor knows everything, and Mommy and Daddy aren't quite as smart. Thomas did ask me a few weeks ago, "Mommy, who's smarter? You, or Daddy?" Uh, I didn't really want to go there, so I said, "We're both equally smart." He responded, "You're probably smarter, cuz didn't you used to be a teacher?" I just smiled.

4. Thomas never noticed skin color until the day the kids were taught about Martin Luther King, Jr. Until that point, everyone was the same. But he was struck profoundly by the story. "If it weren't for him, I might not be friends with Mikey because he has brown skin."

5. Thomas can't wait to dance the hoe-down tomorrow at school. He made sure I knew that he needed at least one cowboy clothing item for the big performance, and was ecstatic when I told him that he had boots, jeans, AND a bandana! In Kindergarten, there's no such thing as cooties, and it's still cool to do the square dance.

I wish he could stay this way. Just for a little while longer. I know my days are numbered. My little man is turning 6 in 4 days. Oh no, my eyes just welled up when I typed that last line. We'll just enjoy these days, and cherish them, because pretty soon, he'll want to run as far away from Lane as possible, instead of wanting to kiss her. And he'll wear tennis shoes and cross his arms in protest at the hoe-down.