Weather For First Week Of School Gets An A-

The first day of school for most districts in the region was yesterday, making this a big week for kids… and parents too. It’s a week that can be filled with all sorts of emotions, ranging from excited or happy… to scared or sad… to brave or nervous. And I’m not just talking about the kids here.

With all of the craziness of school getting back in session, I’m glad Mother Nature is playing nice this week. In fact, with the fall-like weather we’re having, it almost “feels” like school doesn’t it? It’s been cool in the morning, but not too cold and the afternoons have definitely not been too hot. Temps in the 70s are perfect for schools that don’t have air-conditioning. There’s no rain in the forecast this week so kids don’t have to worry about their new outfits getting wet.

The only thing I’m going to mark Mother Nature down for this week… is the rather dense valley fog we’ve been waking up to. I do have to admit it makes for a pretty scene, especially if you live on the ridge tops above the fog… but it sure can be a headache for drivers. Expect the valley fog every morning this week so continue to allow plenty of extra time for your morning commute and use your low-beam headlights. Even when it gets light after sunrise and it’s still foggy, your headlights might not help you see… but it helps us see you!

Every time school starts back up, I’m reminded of just how fast time seems to be racing by. Two of our three “babies” started school yesterday. Preston is in 1st grade… and Kylie is in the 4-year old kindergarten program. Preston is just kind of a natural at this school stuff… so it was no surprise that he had a great day.

Kylie on the other hand is like Mother Nature, and can be hard to predict. Now she didn’t have her full 2 1/2 hour day yet, but she had a 45 minute session to meet her teachers and get acquainted with the school and her classroom. She was so excited the night before, picking out just the right outfit to wear. She wanted to wear her brand new backpack, even if there was nothing in it. I sensed some nervousness as we pulled up to the school and she wanted me to carry her to the front doors. Once inside, she just looked around and slowly walked to her classroom. I could almost hear her brain taking everything in and trying to process what she was seeing.

She was pretty hesitant when we first walked in the classroom and definitely on the shy & quiet side to start. In fact, she insisted on sitting on Mom’s lap and kind of buried her head against Mom’s shoulder. So what does Mom do to get her to perk up and be a big girl? She gives her a piece of gum. Now when I was a boy at Sabin Elementary School in Denver, Colorado way back when… gum was an ultimate no-no in school. I thought here it’s the first day of school and already the Grauls are going to get in trouble. Well, I’m not entirely sure what the rules are in Kylie’s class regarding gum… but it sure did the trick. She sat up and listened to what her teachers were saying and followed directions the whole time we were there. I guess Mom knew best on this one.

Anyway, I’m still a bit nervous for Kylie as her first full day is tomorrow… and she has to ride the bus from her daycare to school. Preston did the same thing with no problem, but this is a huge deal for a 4-year old… at least I sure think so. I didn’t have to ride a bus to school until I was in 7th grade… and I was VERY nervous that first day - and I even had a sister and friends riding the bus with me!

Let me finish by giving a friendly reminder to be extra careful on the roads now that school is back in session. There’s lots more of us out and about during the morning commute compared to the summer months. Not only that, but lots of kids walking, running, and biking to school. They can be hard to see, especially in the neighborhoods around the schools with lots of parked cars on the streets. Watch out for the school buses stopping to pick up and drop off kids… and watch out for the kids getting on and off the bus. They are excited and talking to friends and might not always be paying 100% attention.

Here’s to a happy and safe 2009-2010 school year… and sorry Mother Nature, if not for the fog - you would have received an “A” this week!

Until next time, see you in the morning!