A complete turn around!

My soon to be 6 year old has made a complete turn around. A couple of months ago he was having a difficult time getting adjusted to kindergarten. He begged me to stay home and "home school" him. I have never figured out where that came from...but to him a was a great idea. He eventually liked going to school, wouldn't say good afternoon to his teacher, but liked it. This weekend as we drove to Brainerd, he wouldn't stop singing songs and asking us how to spell words (the entire car ride...both ways). He has stated how much he LOVES school. Now that he learned the days of the week...he knows exactly what days he will be going to school and how long the weekends last.

Well...last week he had an ear check-up and failed, so we needed to make an appointment at an ENT specialist. Okay...we can do this...it's probably nothing. The only day I could get him in was today at 2:45. I took the appointment. On Monday, we finally told him that he would be going to the doctors today and that he would be missing school. On Monday night he was talking to Jamma as he was going to bed. He got teary eyed and said that he didn't want to miss school...he wanted me to reschedule the appointment. I said I would try...knowing that it wouldn't happen. So...we decided to not bring up the subject again.

Fast forward to today. We woke up and got ready for our day like normal. At 2:00 my sister brought Riley and Aiden to school so that I could leave from there and bring him to the doctors. He didn't seem to know what was going on. I buckled them both into their seats and headed for the doctor. That's when all hell broke loose!!!

We were driving toward the doctor and going down the road that he goes on toward his school. He looked at the clock and asked where we were going. He said, "Mommy, it's past 2:00. I was suppose to be in school a long time ago. Where are we going? I want to go to school now!" He kept saying we could still make it. I then decided that I should tell him that he was not going to school today! It was at that point that I realized that if looks could kill....I would have been dead right there. I watched in the rear view mirror as he glared at me. He had a frown on his face and was holding back tears...and ohhh...the daggers...they were going in the back of my head. He started telling me to cancel the appointment. He didn't need to go...he needed to go to school to learn! I said I couldn't. Again, telling him this was the only day I could get us in. He asked if I tried for Saturday or Sunday...because he doesn't have school those days. We went back and forth until we got to the doctor. He stormed out of the car and stomped the whole way into the office...muttering I'm not sure what, under his breath. We got in the office and sat for 30 minutes waiting to get in. I thought this was a good thing. It gave him a chance to calm down as I read him some books. Finally we were called back. He was being good...cooperative...and seemed to forget that he was missing school. Then it happened. The nurse asked, "So what grade are you in? Do you like school?" Sh*& why did she have to ask that? The head went down and he started to pout again...daggers came out and I got the if looks could kill look! I explained to her what happened and she said, "Oh I'm sorry!" Same thing happened with the lady who tested him and with the doctor! He was cooperative and did great! He does have some hearing loss, but he is still within normal range, so we aren't going to do anything about it. On the way out...I told him that he was going to get the fish that he was asking for because he did so well at this appointment. Things were looking good. He was happy.

On the way home he was asking again how to spell different words. He then started asking what 1+1 was and 10+10. He then said, "4+1=5." I said, "Yes, how did you know that?" He said, "It's like this...If I have 4 apples and someone gives me one more...I have five apples. I told him that he was very smart and asked where he learned that? He said that he just taught himself that. He then said, "The only way I can get smarter is by going to school! When I am in school...I learn!" He then said, "So don't you dare...ever keep me from going to school again!!!!" And I thought he was over it! Apparently not. I wonder how long he going to hold this over my head. It's not like I just kept him out of school just because....I'm glad that Riley loves school and I hope he continues to love it through all of his school years that lie ahead!