Back to School in NYC

We are back to school in NYC. Today marks officially the first day of the new school year. I know that in other states the school starts in August but here in the North East we started today.

This year is very special as my little one starts Kindergarten and the Big one started Middle School.  The day before school started I began a new routine.

All electronics off by 7:30pm. No computer, no TV, No Nintendo DS. So computer assignments must be done by that time.

After 7:30pm we have dinner and take baths and get all the things ready for school the next day. Uniforms, backpacks, assignments etc.


8:30pm Elsie has to be in bed, she gets a bed time story and a lullaby, at this time Gaby takes a shower and gets all her rest of homework done.

9:30pm Gaby has to be in Bed, and we talk a little bit and it's good night.

The next morning I wake up around 6:30am and I wake them up around 6:45am and get everything ready, and have some breakfast and out the door by 7:30am

Today the routine worked quite well, and I'm really happy how the day went.

Elsie did very good in her first day of Kindergarten, she didn't cry, she went to the lunchroom with Mrs. Patrick the security guard, she got her breakfast, she sit down, she followed instructions, I got a lot of compliments about her behavior. She has many friends in her class from last year, and a few new faces and the best Kindergarten Teacher of the school.

Gaby, went to a brand new school, she has a few friends from her old school, and even she is in the classroom with 2 of her best friends, Lia and Orlandriana, and she is in class 6-1 with a very strict but nice teacher. Gaby says that she loved Middle School. She made a new friend and she got to be with her best friends in class, and her teachers are nice, there are assigned tables in the lunchroom so there's no issue with "where am I going to sit?" and she loved that the kids walk to the lunchroom by themselves, they change classes by themselves and no need for teachers escorting them like in elementary school. There is a sense of freedom that she did not have before and she likes it.

I must say I am very proud how things turned out today. It started off good, and even though I got a bit emotional seeing them go I know they did great.

I asked Elsie today: Are you nervous about school still?
She said: No. I was nervous this morning but after today, I know how good I did, so I'm not nervous anymore.

I'm so proud of them both! :)

So how did the first day of school turn out for your kids and for you?