Don't let her fool you. This girl is trouble. Since the first day of Kindergarten we've had trouble getting her to go to school willingly. Today I needed to record the morning events before my mind loses the vivid memory. I so wish I had recorded it because it was a little wild and crazy!
Jess had been told all weekend that starting Monday morning she was going to be walking to school with Julia and Porter instead of mom. When it came time for school we said our morning prayer and then I told her goodbye. It wasn't the hug and kiss goodbye like I had imagined. She was crying and screaming that she didn't want to go. I told Porter and Julia to each take a hand and take her to school. I then shut the front door and locked it and watched the squabbling take place out the front window. (She can't see inside but I sure can see out!) She was screaming and fighting them. Then she broke loose and ran to the back of the house, which got me running to the back of the house to lock the back door. I wasn't quite as fast at getting the dog door put in place because she started putting her head through it. I pushed her head back through the dog door and put up the board to shut it. She ran to my back door screaming that she didn't want to go but was met with another locked door.
Porter was so embarrassed he didn't want to deal with it. I let Jess inside and spanked her which seemed to be what she needed to willingly go back out front with the kids. I had to threaten her with another spankin' if she didn't start walking. She made it down the steps and turned around still crying. Then she made it to the stop sign still screaming and crying on the back of Julia (She's sure got a good patient sister to even offer to piggy back her!).
Once they made it to the stop sign I shut the door and started some laundry just in time to hear my kids back at the door because Jess had run back to the house! By now Porter was done! He was soooo embarrassed to be dragging his crying bawling sister to school. Not cool, mom. I tried bribery, taking away dance but the only thing that gave her motivation is threatening to spank her again.
I watched them walk (or Julia was piggy backing Jess again) to the stop sign, turn the corner and keep walking. I decided to give them a minute and then walk to the corner to make sure they were really going to get there this time.
They had made it down the next block and Jess was walking now with her brother on one side and sister on the other. Hopefully the tears had stopped by then. In 20 minutes I go pick up my kindergarten baby and see how the day really went.
She's such a stinker because she comes out of class laughing, singing, and so happy so I know she enjoys school. She just doesn't enjoy the initial getting there part :/
Someday I'll have this kid figured out...just not today.