Remembering Kindergarten

This rite of passage comes far to quickly! It feels like yesterday baby #3 arrived and he'd be at home with me forever! As fast as this much anticipated event arrived, I know it will go by even faster as I immerse myself in the normal daily routines and schedules. And not just for me, but for my son too. Life changes every day for a kindergartner.

The first few days were down right pathetic. He's taller than your average kindergartner, looks like he's heading into the 2nd grade or so and probably comes across as a "tough guy". But don't let it fool you....days one, two, and three, were a pretty sad sight. Anxiety the night before, crying all the way to the bus stop. It was a mother's nightmare, but luckily for me, he's #3 of five so my skin is a little thicker than your average first time mom. But man, that sad little face pressed up against the bus window just about did me in. It was bad enough that the bus driver actually honked to get me to turn around, opened the door for him to give me one last hug. It was priceless. I tried not to giggle because he was focused and trying really hard to be "all growned up", but he was just too cute.

Today started the second week and in just seven days he's made an entire 180! Woke up a few minutes early, got ready without a tear, and ran to the bus stop excited for his day to begin. I was pleased and relieved, but it also reminded me that time is going to fly by. If I don't capture his stories fresh with emotion (and my own memories) right now, it'll be too late. The stories will either change and not be capture correctly or we'll just never get to it.

Remembering Kindergarten can seem like a daunting task, but following a few easy steps and tips will help you capture those most important memories and stories straight from the kindergartner. I see too many times "mom's" version of the story, and while I think we should have some say, it's their version that is the most memorable. It's their version of the story that is real. No mother can retell a story like a kindergartner can.

5 Easy Steps for Remembering and Capturing Kindergarten Memories

1. Keep all photos in a file on your computer labeled Kindergarten

2. Keep ONE small plastic bin for favorite art work, writing samples, etc. These bins get full quick, so let your kindergartner pick their favorites each month. You can pick a few too if you really need to, but let them pick their favorites. It's their memories! Scan them as you pick the favorites so they're already stored and edited in your picture folder.

3. Start writing down the stories NOW! Don't wait. Keep a note book or a document file in your picture folder on your computer that you can write or type funny sayings, stories or events right when they happen. Details fade after a while. And get your kindergartner's version of the story as well.

4. Ask him questions. What are his favorites? Who are his friends? What is he learning? And so on and so on....these will change from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. Find out the answers to these and other questions now. If you need some ideas, Cherish Bound has a great Story Starter just for kids called "My School Days". You can interview your child and write the answers right there in the book.

5. At the end of the school year you're organized and ready to published your child's first year of school in a beautiful hardbound book. Compile all the photos, classwork & art, and stories in digital format. Drag and drop everything into a Cherish Bound book for publication.

I can promise you that these memories will stay alive forever if you preserve the stories, get your child involved in the process and publish them in a Cherish Bound book. The smile on his face will be priceless! There's nothing better than watching your own child hold a book all about them, written by them, just for them!