Kindergarten Conflict

Yesterday afternoon, Mia and Ava completed their kindergarten screening.  This also means I successfully gathered 539,984 documents and signatures proving everything from residency to good oral health.  Surely, I understand the importance of all the paperwork, but that was quite a task! If only I knew what was yet to come.

 

Upon arrival, the girls were whisked away to have their pictures taken with the "Kindergarten, Here I come" apple.   

While Mate and I filled out more paperwork,  the girls were taken to different stations for academic assessments.  We couldn't hear much, but there were lots of smiles and nods of approval.

 Next, we met with the school nurse while the girls completed hearing and vision assessments.

 Finally, we met with the lead kindergarten teacher to go over all the assessments and what we can work on before school starts.  Our assignments are to help the girls learn how to use a computer mouse and to have them practice working independently and quietly for increased amounts of time. 

It was all going so well.  Then, we began discussing our desire to keep the girls together for kindergarten.  Let's just say it all went downhill from there.  Eliana got restless, it was way past our dinner time and we were told it is school policy to separate twins.  At the precise moment Mate and I needed to be a united front, he had to take all three girls out of the room.  The teacher suggested I meet with the principal and pointed me in her direction.  To make a long story short, I attempted to explain all the reasons we want them together and was told they could be in neighboring classrooms with the same lunch and recess schedule.  At some point, I became overwhelmed with emotion and tears began to stream down my face.  I was stuck between wanting to advocate for what I knew to be best for our family and not wanting to be "that" parent.  The principal assured me everything would be fine and sent me on my way.

Our plan was to celebrate the evening with dinner out at a restaurant of Mia and Ava's choosing.   They wanted breakfast for dinner, so that's exactly what we gave them.

 Mia, after declaring, "I love bacon"

Ava with her pancakes. 

At dinner, Mate and I discussed the turn of events and seemed to come to the conclusion that we'd abide by school policy.  Then, somewhere around 1:00 am, as I tossed and turned, I changed my mind.  These girls are going to kindergarten together.  I know it is best and their preschool teacher believes it is, too.  I've done the research to back-up my beliefs.  I've talked to other mothers of multiples.  I've confirmed over and over and over again that the girls aren't dependent on each other. They play well with other children.  One isn't a leader or a follower.  They are achieving at the same level, academically.  They don't fit any of the characteristics that lead parents/teachers to separate twins.  We are going from three mornings of school a week to five full days.  For the first time, most of their day is going to be spent with an adult other than me.  That's a lot of adjustment.  We certainly don't need separating them from each other thrown into the mix.  That can happen next year. 

 

I will do whatever it takes to make sure this is the way we do Kindergarten.