After what seemed like a false start that first Wednesday, the school year has finally lurched into gear, to the relief of most parents (some I know opted to extend summer until the 13th) and even a few kids–- my daughters couldn’t wait for a return to the classroom and more structured days. And, perhaps more than anything, they needed a break from one another.

Night Owl is settling happily into 1st grade at her new school, meeting new friends and enjoying a more manageable (for her) class size. She is delighted that she still gets to take science, proclaiming it her favorite part of school. My 4-year-old, Leia (not her real name, though as a Star Wars fanatic she wishes it could be), swaggered proudly through the green doors of the "Big School," fulfilling a long-time dream of following in her sister’s footsteps. She was not alone, as every single child in this year’s pre-kindergarten class  has an older sibling; their moment has finally arrived.<!--more-->

In fact, the customary phase-in period seemed, to some, tantalizingly slow. Designed to ease the little ones into a full school schedule, the bit-by-bit (an hour the first day, hour and a half the next) approach was torture for my daughter. “How come the big kids all get to eat lunch at school, but the little kids have to leave early?” she asked mournfully after one short day. As is true with many younger siblings, she’s eager to keep pace with the older ones.

Pre-K is not a mandatory program in NYC public schools, but it has become an increasingly popular one, especially in neighborhoods such as ours, where  spots are highly sought after. Many children were shut out this year. Of these families, some parents opted for placement in a neighboring school zone,  or else private preschool.

In response to an earlier post, some commenters suggested that pre-K be phased out in order to make room for more spaces in the upper grades (which are mandatory). It’s true that schools could use the additional space, but in many zones doing away with the pre-K would leave a huge void in an already over-taxed neighborhood, and shut many children out of preschool altogether.

Kindergarten is a huge year in terms of growth and expectations–- it's what first grade used to be. Pre-K helps prepare children for these demands, teaching fundamentals of self-control, working cooperatively within a group, and listening to a teacher. The structure is similar to that of a kindergarten class, but with plenty of valuable play and rest time. For Night Owl, kindergarten was not such a huge adjustment after a year of pre-K.

It’s still shocking, though, to realize how tiny these 4-year-olds are, some rolling up to school in strollers. There were some weepers and leg-clingers that first week (including Leia, in spite of her eagerness). Thursday, I put in my first volunteer lunch shift of the year, helping the children open their thermoses and chaperoning their trips to the bathroom. I realized that many will have quite an adjustment to the structure of a long day.

One small boy, working through his sandwich, inquired: “after lunch, can I go home?” A girl packed up her lunchbox, wiped off her hands, and asked: “May I sleep in the classroom?” Indeed, many will need their afternoon rest time, if not a nap. But by the end of the year–- and I’ve seen the transformation–- they will, for the most part, know their way through the halls, be able to sit patiently during circle time, and be learning the academic fundamentals that will segue into the "3 R's" of next year's kindergarten.

How did your child's first days of school go? Please share your experiences with pre-kindergarten programs.