ABC's

My little man has completed his first month of kindergarten. Seeing him blossom into a caring, rambunctious big boy makes me appreciate all the moments I get to spend with him. He is a child that enjoys being a child. Ryan would be happy with nothing more than a few toys and endless hours to use his imagination. Though he enjoys school, I think it has more to do with his classmates than actual classtime.

Being the dork that I am, when Ryan brought home his first homework assignment I could not help but get a little excited. Taking out his homework planner and folder, I could tell he was just as excited as I was. After growing up (well, as much growing as a 4 going on 5 year old can do) seeing me struggle through school, he was happy to be able to do homework right along with me. Holding his freshly sharpened number 2 pencil he eagerly set to work on his first worksheet. Armed with full knowledge of alphabet recognition and the ability to write his name and a few other letters, he was excited to be able to do his own work.

It soon became apparent that his bloated ''o''s and backwards ''a''s were not going to cut it in kindergarten. Worksheets have since been sent home with notes asking him to do them over. Nevermind that he is worn out from school by the time he gets home. Or the fact that he has yet to make 5. At the bottom of the alphabet worksheets he has to draw a picture of something the starts with the letter above. Rather than stick with simple pictures like lollipop, ice cream, or hat Ryan opts for a dog licking, iguanas and inchworms in the grass, and a picture of Henry our Golden Retriever.

While I understand the importance of legible penmanship, I also believe in the importance of creativity. Though I am, for the most part, happy with Ryan's teacher, I would be happier if less time was spent focusing on the mundane. As good as the No Child Left Behind Act appeared in newspapers, it doesn't do much for our children in the real world. Threatening the loss of funding for schools that don't meet standards based on mainland contexts does nothing for education. Ensuring my son has the proper stroke order for writing his alphabet does not denote intelligence.

Perhaps what I am really upset about is his aging. Slowly, year by year, he will outgrow his childhood. Maybe what I am mourning is his childhood. I wish I could grant him another year or two of carefree living.