The Kindergarten Debacle

On By Lady GIn Whimsy and Fun

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When I was five I couldn’t wait to start school.  I wanted to read schoolbooks, eat school lunch, play during recess and do everything else that I had so often heard older kids talk about doing.  But alas, I was too young for all of that right?

WRONG!

One idle weekday in the 1970’s, my mom and I were partaking in an unconventional, yet hearty, breakfast of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Friends, this was one of my most favorite meals because mama used real cheese with the red stuff around it.  After one bite, that cheese stretched for miles.  It was delicious!  Oooohweeeee!  If memory serves, she called it hoop cheese.

Did I just digress?  I beg your pardon.  Just stay with me 😉

Anyway, while we were eating, my mom’s friend came over for a visit.  After a quick exchange of pleasantries, mama’s friend looked at me with a puzzled stare and asked, “Why is Gwin out of school?”  Mom replied, “She ain’t started school yet.”  Mama’s friend tilted her head slightly and asked, “How old is she?” Both mama and I replied, in tandem, “five.”

Uh oh!

Mama’s friend went on to inform us that I should have already started Kindergarten.  Yikes!

You see, what had happened was…

My parents had never really heard of Kindergarten.  When they were growing up, there was no such thing.  During those days, kids started school in first grade.

And so, mama called the local Board of Education and they confirmed that I should have started Kindergarten about two weeks earlier.  The ‘Board’ also told her the name of the school that I was to report to.  She was advised to take me there –pronto– and to bring along a litany of important documents.

So off we went!  My first day of school ever and I was two weeks late!

After we arrived, mama said, “Alright, I’m gonna take you to your class so you can meet your new teacher.”  I said, “Ok.”  Just as we approached my new class, mama gave me a kiss.  About that time, my new teacher, Mrs. Polk, walked up to greet us.  She formally introduced herself and assured both mama and me that I would be just fine.  She then took my hand to escort me into my new class.  After one or two steps, I turned around and said to mama, without so much as a whimper, “You forgot my lunch money!”

Uh hmm 😉 WHATEVER, I couldn’t wait to try some of that school lunch the kids talked about 🙂

My dear hearts let me assure you, in the end, everything went smooth.  Fortunately for me, mama and daddy had already taught me all the ABCs and 123s.  In fact, after being tested, I was immediately assigned to the highest group!

Not bad for a kid who was epically late for her first day of Kindergarten!

😉

 

 

 

 

 

34 thoughts on “The Kindergarten Debacle”

  1. Oh awesome! What a great and memorable start to your school career! I searched my memory banks and I don’t remember going to kindergarten at all. I remember my sister going to first grade (she’s 1 year older) and I would tag along with her half the time, but I don’t remember kindergarten. 😀

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    1. Yeah, apparently Kindergarten was a rather new concept by time you and I came around. Most of the people I know who are a few years older than me-or my parents age did not have Kindergarten.
      They all went straight to first grade 🙂

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  6. Tareau Barron

    So this Grilled CHEESE you mentioned this hoop cheese is it? Wow sounds Hella good. I bet after your first day, Mrs. Polk informed Mama G, that lady G was the star of kindergarten. Ron am I right? Man I want to do some kindergarten homework right now, who is with me??

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      1. Tareau Barron

        I’m picturing you singing as a Lil kid like Angela Bassett in “What’s love got to do with it” remember when the young Tina Turner was at church singing her Lil heart out and she got removed hahahaa. That was Lil Lady G probably in kindergarten.

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        4. Tareau Barron

          David Alan Grier is underrated funny. When he comes to San Francisco, he gets his hair cut at the same barbershop as I do. (Well not anymore sigh I miss my hair) Doug you watch the Carmichael show? He is hilarious on there

          Liked by 2 people

  8. Very funny. No surprise you made the highest group. 🙂 I spent one day in kindergarten, myself. With all the toys, I saw no point in napping. That didn’t go over too well w/ the teacher (LOL). Plus, my mom worked, so wasn’t able to volunteer in the classroom, as parents did in those days. Oh, well.

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  11. ronbrownx

    Fret not dear Cousin! I was one of those tots who never got to attend kindergarten (was no kindergarten). Here’s an interesting fact; do you remember our recent conversation about languages i.e. English, the romance languages and German? Well, of course you know that Kindergarten is German, but did you know it, literally means, “Garden of children” (kinder=children and garten=garden)? So you little guys were planted in a little garden so your little minds could grow and grow! And yours really grew into the prettiest flower of all, a “Petula Obondalla!” despite your tardiness. lol

    “‘Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
    how does your garden grow?
    ‘With silver bells
    and cockle shells,
    and pretty maidens
    all in a row'”

    That must have been written all about you guys.

    Liked by 4 people

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    1. Awww!!! Cuz got me bout to cry! What a lovely sentiment.

      You killing me quoting your boy Bernard P Fife ! “petulla obindata”!

      You ain’t so bad yourself considering you missed kgarten.

      They don’t get no smarter than you.

      So much for any belief that kids who don’t go to kindergarten are missing out intellectually 😉

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      1. ronbrownx

        Well, there ya go. But now they have: Headstart, Pre K, Kindergarten then 1st grade. They should have College degrees by the time they graduate Hi School! lol

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