And now first grade . . .

It's official! They are now first graders!


Joe and Charlie on the first day of school


Joe in his new classroom


Charlie in his new classroom

They've been in first grade a little over a week now. We are getting back into our school routine. (We've actually managed to fine-tune it a little. I feel like I spend an inordinate amount of time on routines.) It's pretty much business as usual, but something still strikes me as different. They aren't kindergarteners anymore. This is real school. The kind that keeps going and progresses until the next thing you know they are doing algebra homework and visiting colleges.

We don't get a lot of information from them, or from the teachers. They do seem more settled than they were last year. They both know most of the kids in their classes pretty well, which I think helps a lot with comfort level. We don't know much about their teachers. The boys are happy with them, though. Of course, that apparently has a lot to do with the fact that they got the two first grade teachers whose classes are the first to go to lunch--meaning they go to lunch shortly after 10:30. Because heaven forbid they have to wait for, say, lunchtime to eat lunch.

But the boys are happy, so we are happy too. They seem pretty excited to be getting more "real" work (they are specifically hoping for more math). So far, they have received "green" (and green is good) every day for conduct. I started explaining the concept of grades to them - not sure they understood, but when they do I expect it to be a big motivator for them (especially Charlie). All in all, we are looking forward to the boys' year in first grade. If they just didn't have to grow up to get there.