First day of school

I just dropped Ady off at her first day of first grade. She was excited this morning. But it is also her birthday, so it is hard to tell what the excited is all about. I drove her to school, waited with her until the bell rang, walked her to her classroom and took some pictures, then I left. Before school I was talking to some other moms and they kept going on about how they are so happy for school to start because it gets the kids out of the house. How sad. I can't imagine feeling that way.

When I walked Ady to her room, I was the only mom from her classroom to show up. I was surprised! As a teacher I always had 10-15 moms and/or dads crowding the classroom. I commented to the teacher that I was surprised to not see very many parents at the school on the first day and she said, "We try to encourage parents not to." She says this to me as I am standing in my own daughter's classroom. It frightens me to send my daughter to a school in a system I don't trust is making decisions that is in her best interest. I don't know this teacher from a hole in the wall. And I want my daughter to feel secure. For that, I am labeled an overbearing mom. So be it.