The Kindergarten Life

I can't believe my boy is in Kindergarten. And it is no surprise that he LOVES it. I am so grateful for Evan's love for school; interacting with his peers, independence from home and his love & dedication to learning! He is so proud of his accomplishments whether a worksheet completed, drawing created or story to share. We are very fortunate to live in an amazing community and that Evan's peers are so kind, warm and accepting.

Dancing in music class!

The biggest change going into Kindergarten was getting use to a FULL DAY of school. Since Evan attended the same school for Pre-K 3&4 we had already gone through the process of transitioning into a school setting (were ichthyosis is concerned). But I was a bit worried how Evan would manage on an energy level for an entire day, as well as how his diet would be compromised from the "distractions" in the cafeteria. Luckily his energy has been great and to my surprise he comes home seemingly energized! Though all the fun of eating lunch in a cafeteria full of kids has been more enjoyable for Evan than Mommy. Eating well has never been his forte but we are still working on it!

Math center on the carpet!

As far as his skin care goes while in school, I have to admit that we have the best crew there is! Being away for 7+ hours compared to 3 is a big difference when taking care of his skin. And yet again we are extremely lucky to have a nurse, aides, teachers & staff that are all working together to make sure he stays comfortable and safe. He now gets to enjoy lunch, recess and specials at school so planning for his skin in different environments, like the temperature of the cafeteria or gymnasium to what kinds of paints he can have on his skin in art class, have been considered.

When it's too hot, Evan and a few buddies eat in the classroom!

All in all I have nothing to complain about. Evan has gotten into a good routine, now, being in school for a full day. I know he is in good hands and his skin is the "least" of my worries while he is at school. He comes home happy, excited and has lots to share about his day. I can only hope his enthusiasm for school will continue throughout the years and he will continue to "jump for joy" when the bus pulls up!

Evan's favorite thing to play, GROCERY STORE!

**Side note** I usually offer to go into the classroom in the beginning of the year to talk about Evan's skin with his classmates. Since most of the students know Evan already and they have accepted him for him, I decided to talk about ichthyosis from more of a biological standpoint than talk about differences (which I did speak about on the preschool level). I did this mainly because Evan is older and more aware now and I didn't feel like it was necessary to have a discussion about how "different" Evan was when he really isn't. He's a kid just like all of his classmates.

Video: Explanation of Ichthyosis to Elementary Students