Monday, August 17, 2009

The Boo-Hoo Breakfast

To deal with separation anxiety on the first day of school, I used to advise new "kindergarten parents" to smile brightly at the teacher, give their child a kiss and leave quickly. Then they could cry in the parking lot as long as they wanted.

Over at Dixie Elementary (and in Glasgow), they have a better idea.

This from the Herald-Leader, photo by Pablo Alcala:

First day of school off to a good start despite a few tears

There's nothing quite like the separation anxiety, the sheer emotional trauma, that can grip moms and dads when they deliver their children to school for the first time.

It's crushing enough just turning over one child to strangers. But three?

Not surprisingly, Lexington's Terry Moore couldn't hold back a few tears Wednesday morning after she and her husband, David, dropped off their 5-year-old triplets at Dixie Elementary Magnet School. It was the first day of kindergarten for Olivia, Emily and Aaron Moore.

Thousands of other Lexington youngsters also returned to classes Wednesday morning all across Lexington, as Fayette County Public Schools reopened for the 2009-10 school year.

School district spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall said that other than some "typical opening day" glitches such as a few late buses, the day went smoothly.

The first part of the day also went well for Terry Moore, but the tears began to fall after she left her triplets in their classroom. Fortunately, she was able relax for a few minutes at what the folks at Dixie Elementary call the "Boo-Hoo Breakfast."

Each year on the first day of classes, Dixie staffers hold the breakfast in the school library, serving coffee, doughnuts and plenty of tissues to help kindergarten parents through the emotional moment of saying goodbye to their children. Some parents get teary-eyed every year, school officials say...

H-T 2 KSBA.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

A "Boo-Hoo" Breakfast? How silly! If parents really do suffer this type of separation anxiety, instead of breakfast, I'd suggest homeschooling or a trip to a psychologist.