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Recess Boo Boo's by Marsha Jordan

My grandson Cobi started kindergarten this week.

It's been a difficult adjustment. The first day was long and frustrating. There was great anxiety, much fear and apprehension, and many tears, but I survived it all.

The second day was easier for me; but then my son (who is a stay-at-home dad) called to tell me he is a "nervous wreck." (He signed up for every volunteer position available in the library, on the playground, and in the classroom.)

Both of us hate to see our little sweetie grow up and go out into the big world ALL ALONE. Why do kids begin school at such a tender age, anyway? Five is so young. They should wait until at least ten. I see these little ones walking to school and I wonder, "How can their mothers let them outside alone?"

I'm a little overprotective, I guess. I don't understand why grandma can't ride the bus with him and sit next to him in school for a few weeks at least. No one can protect Cobi like his she-bear grammie.   Who will kiss his boo-boos if he falls
down?   Who will yell at the naughty kids who try to teach him bad words? Who will see that the teacher gives him the extra special attention that he deserves?

My own imagination had fueled my worries enough; but then my son informed me that Cobi had gotten beat up the very first day at recess!   This is one of the worst things a grandmother can hear. (I had hoped that my biggest shock this first week would be hearing that he'd call the teacher a doo-doo head.) I should have had the foresight to pay off the playground monitor so she'd watch out for him.

It seems that Cobi came to the rescue of a first grade girl who was being harassed by an eight-year-old boy. When he bravely defended her, the bigger boy bloodied his nose and knocked him to the ground. Of course, grandma wanted to go to school and give that bully what for, call his parents, and talk to the principal; but Cobi seemed unbothered by the entire incident. When I asked what happened after the boy punched him in the nose, he casually explained that he didn't hit him back because he "didn't want to hurt him." Whatever the situation, this kid can make his grandma smile. :o)

As Cobi speeds toward adulthood, his life is flashing before my eyes. Before I know it, he'll be driving a car, having children of his own, and visiting me in the nursing home. (At least I hope he'll make time to visit me when I take up residence there.) Hopefully that time won't come too soon. There are too many fun things we need to do together before that happens, and I plan to savor every one of them!

"Children are a gift from God. They are his reward." ~~Psalm 127:3

Marsha Jordan [email protected]

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