How We’re Surviving Kindergarten Transition

I blinked and somehow we officially have a 5 and 3 year old! As I look at Naiya and Sadie in these photos, I can’t help but wonder where our babies went. My parents were just visiting to celebrate Sadie’s third birthday with us and they said the same about my siblings and I—”where has the time gone? I still picture you as my little babies.” Since I can remember, they’ve always said this to us but I’ve never fully understood it until now. The fact that time with our kids is so fleeting must be a universal experience for all parents but wow, it never ceases to amaze me.

All of that said, in an effort to freeze time as best as I can, sharing the latest and greatest updates about my minis with you today.

Sadie Updates

Sadie is LOVING her preschool class full of fellow three year olds. I was worried the she would have challenges socially in the “real world” after this crazy Pandemic period but I’m happy to report that this definitely is not the case. Her ability to adapt to any situation with the utmost spunk and confidence is such a gift and girlfriend is quite the social butterfly. She LOVES being around friends, she lives for playdates, and she’s constantly trying to keep up with her big sister Naiya’s social life too.

Everyday, she tells us she’s going to school to “see the babies.” Sometimes, she’s referring to her fellow classmates (many of which she towers over thanks to Phil’s extreme height which Sadie has inherited). Other times, Sadie is referring to her classroom’s baby dolls as “babies.”

Either way, Sadie LOVES babies. I wouldn’t be surprised if she decides to become a teacher someday because she loves little ones so much.

Princess Dresses Or Nothing At All

She also LOVES princess dresses. She only wears princess dresses to school (thanks, mom for Naiya’s subscription a few years back to “Princess Dress of The Month Club” where our girls’ closets are predominately full of gowns in every shape, style, and color. In fact, I’m not sure why we buy any other clothes at all—especially since Sadie refuses to wear them. Thankfully, her teachers are supportive and they don’t make her take off her crowns or jewels she styles for school every day.

Since Naiya is now jon her way out of the “all princess dress everything stage,” I’m savoring it with Sadie and I know how sad I’ll be when it’s over because it’s pretty iconic.

This week, Sadie officially started breaking out of her crib. I can’t believe it took this long but now that it’s happening, after we put her down, she surprises us by sneaking up on us. She actually did this for the first time on Halloween and let’s just say she appeared out of nowhere, tapped me on the back, and I was so surprised, I screamed! Next up, we’re on the hunt for a big girl bed for our little princess!

Naiya Updates

As for Naiya, a few months in, she’s finally starting to warm up to kindergarten. Kindergarten overall was a bigger transition for her than we expected. She was so used to the warmth, familiar faces of friends, and play-based experience of her preschool program.

The first few weeks of kindergarten, she’d break my heart over and over again at bedtime each night telling me how sad she was. She’d say “Mommy, we don’t get to play anymore at school. It makes me so sad.” Sometimes, she’d go on to cry.

It felt like a moment from the Disney Pixar film “Inside Out,” where the little girl starts to come of age. When she is affected by challenges in the outside world for the first time, her experiences create core memories that shape how she feels about the world and about herself. I cried watching that movie with Phil in theaters before our kids were even glimmers in our eyes so don’t even get me started about watching it now as parents!

All of the above said, through many conversations with Naiya. many of which included positive affirmations, she is now adapting beautifully to kindergarten and she’s becoming more confident every day.

What stages are your kids in? Can you relate to the ever-changing craziness of raising three and five year olds? Do you have any advice for me? I’m all ears! Please leave a comment below and as always, thank you so much for stopping by!

Photography: Azusa Takano