Do You Remember Your First Day Of School?

At the end of every summer, I think of the children who will began their first year of school that year, and remember what a hard job it can be.


If you have a child starting school this year, try to relate by sharing your first day of school. Since we all like to know that someone knows how we feel, especially our parents. This is what I remember...


I wondered why Mrs. Day, my first grade teacher, turned her head from side to side when she walked. I remember her head tossing, her name, and the fact that she told her first grade students we could so anything, even write books when we grew up.

Before the first day of school, my mother brought me on a school visit to meet her and tour the school. Mrs. Day let me pick out my desk and put my name on the front so everyone would know my name. The three of us were the only people in the classroom that day, so my mother and I had my new teachers undivided attention. While my mother spoke to Mrs. Day, I sat at my desk and put my favorite book, a few of my brothers pencils, and a plastic Piglet toy from a cracker jack box in the inside. I will never forget Piglet. I brought him everywhere. The little plastic pig knew all of my secrets, and I tried to talk to him without Mrs. Day or my mother seeing me talk to a toy, though I think they did anyway since they keep looking over in my direction and whispering in grown-up, secret voices. As their conversation rolled along, I decided to leave the little toy inside for safe keeping, and make sure Mrs. Day remembered I picked that particular desk. The desk did wear my name, but it was the best one and someone else may pick it before the next day. It was a shiny tan color and a shade lighter than the other desks. Mrs. Day was attentive and kind, and asked me what my favorite books were, and if I had a dog, etc. She seemed focused on making me happy, and I began to get excited about my first day of school.


The following morning, I moaned while my mother combed the tangles out of my hair and my brothers made faces. The younger of which was complaining of having to watch me on the bus and walk me to my classroom. Every time my brother said, “I don’t want to walk her to class, mom, she’s bad!” my mother would brush MY hair harder! When I said “Mom, ouch!” she brushed it harder still. So by the time I got on the bus I had a sore head in addition to my brother’s comforting sneers. When I got off the bus my brother ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction of me and my classroom. He disappeared, the bell rang, and I was alone. I looked at the ugly red leotards on my legs, put my hand to my sore head, and cried.

Finally the principal found me wailing in the hallway and I joined the other wailers in my first grade classroom. I’m not kidding; when my teacher opened the door, I heard nothing but the sound of wails. It was like a "wailing for attention" contest! It was a real drama, although I could not be bothered, all I wanted was my desk, my books, and Piglet. Mrs. Day said, "Look class, here's Ann. Hello Ann."

But they were still wailing, and she led me to another desk in the corner of the room! It was a big desk with a big, ugly, dark brown top and no Piglet inside! Where were my books ? Where was Piglet? My eyes stung from the sudden impact of tears, until I could not last any longer...

Suddenly the whole classroom was one big wail for all!

(This is the reason my son’s teachers never had to explain what the Kleenex on the materials list is used for!)

Incidentally, I spent my first day of school (and many weeks after) convincing my new friends that I was not a cry baby. I also spent this time trying to find Piglet. I wanted my desk and books back, and even though the pencils belonged to my brothers, I wanted them back too. I do remember getting the desk I wanted but Piglet wasn’t found until the end of the year, when he miraculously showed up in the lost and found!

Well, maybe he made another child happy in the meantime. Do you remember your first day of school?