Ben Goes to Kindergarten

For an hour, that is.

Tonight was "Beginner's Night" at Ben's future elementary school -- an introduction to the school for parents and rising kindergarteners. Ben was clearly anxious as we arrived despite the fact that four of his friends were there also. He knew he was going to be required to separate from me and go to one of the classrooms, so as one of the staff approached to take him from me, he wrapped his arms around my waist and prepared to dig his heels in.

And then the woman said, "Hi there, Ben. We have baby ducks. Would you like to see them?" And Ben nodded hesitantly, looked at me, looked at her, looked back at me... and she led him off to see the baby ducks (and then to his classroom).

After the program for the parents finished, I found Ben in his classroom. He seemed a little shell-shocked, but quickly filled me in on his two favorite aspects of kindergarten: the ducks (which he showed me, in a little pond in the school's courtyard) and the computers in the classroom. Kindergarten, thankfully, seems to have met with his approval -- at least so far.