Hopefully, it will resolve itself soon, but in case it helps, here's what worked for me when DS was three. I would go and sit in the classroom. Just SIT. Not play with him or try to get him involved. Just SIT. I wouldn't carry on a conversation with him beyond 'yes' or 'no' answers, give only the quickest little cuddles -- then be BORING. I'd occasionally point out a toy or activity that I thought my son would like, but I made NO effort to go get it or get him involved in it. My goal was for my SON to get up and leave me because doing something else looked so much more fun than just sitting there with Mom. (I had told him in advance that I could stay for a little while, but not all day, so he knew I would leave and come back for him later.) Anyway, it took about 10 minutes for DS to get up and go get a toy and bring it back to me so I would play with him -- but I told him I had to go to work and couldn't play with him -- maybe someone else could? (No dice - smart kid!.) After about another 10 minutes, he finally got it and got up to play with some of the other kids. I sat there for a few more minutes to be sure he was truly involved, then gave him a quick wave on my way out the door. That was all it took!

Well, I have a bit of an update. Most importantly, the first day of kindergarten went really well. I cried when I left the classroom, but my little one was really happy and chatting with his new friends. He came home happy each day he has been at the school. And he didn't care one bit about where his breakfast came from. :) As for the floor, things are not so good. The restoration company said that the water saturation levels need to be at or below 10% for the floor to be considered salvagable. Our floors are around 25% and have not come down much. Worse, the finish is "wrinkled" at the ends and edges of many of the boards, and we are told that this will not go away even if the floor miraculously dries, and this will cause the finish to flake off easily. And because it is engineered, and not solid, it apparently can't be sanded and refinished well, even through the manufacturer and the box said otherwise. So the restoration company thinks we should replace the floor. We got this news on Tuesday. Then yesterday, the insurance-company-recommended restorers came in for a second opinion. They also think the floor needs to be replaced and that we should file a claim. We called the insurance company yesterday afternoon and they said an adjuster would contact us within 2 days. So maybe I will know more by Friday. I will keep you all updated with how our insurance company reacts. This whole experience has made me rethink the wood. The wood we have now runs continously through the dining room, kichen, and a room we creatively call the fireplace room because it has, you guessed it, a fireplace. There are no walls between these rooms anymore. I think we may cut the floor at the transition between the kitchen and fireplace room (where a peninula run ends), and replace the wood in the kitchen and dining room with travertine tile, which we have in other parts of the house, including an adjoining foyer area. The wood in the fireplace room suffered no damage. The travertine is cheaper than the wood, and it is more resistent to moisture damage, but will stain more easily and be harder underfoot. I'll have to embrace the idea of a floor with a patina. Any thoughts? I am feeling better about everything, although I do avoid going into or even looking towards, the kitchen area. You all amaze with your outpouring of support, virtual hugs, and virtual bottles of wine. I feel fortunate to be a part of this community. Stephanie

As a retired elementary school secretary, I WELL remember the excitement (and work) involved with the first day of school. And every year, the same problem at the end of the day. Kids who had been driven to school that morning for the first day didn't know where to find "their" bus to take home. On the first day, our bus drivers would have a colored construction paper circle in their front window and would give each rider a "ticket" to match to the correct bus. The circle in the window was only used for about a week but helped the new riders a lot. After that, they all knew their bus number and the bus' position in line. We always urged parents to let their kids ride the bus the first day even if they wanted to follow the bus to school and walk their child to their classroom.

I went to a preschool in town that picked up the students. When I was ready for kindergarten, the school lost the teacher. She was ill. So mom sent me back to the preschool with my younger sister. Then I went to 1st grade the next year. I did not seem to have any trouble transitioning as I suspect all the students did not attend kindergarten either. I do remember struggling to develop my reading skills, especially speed. And the DIck and Jane series of books were so boring: Run, Spot, run. Run, run, run. See Spot. See Spot run, run, run. "Run, Spot," said Dick. "Run, run, run," ad nauseum. I was so impressed with my parents' reading speed and I was sure I would never read as fast as they could. So one evening while my mother was drilling me with words on flash cards, I explained to her that I had decided that I was not going to learn to read. She was a retired teacher, and I bet that announcement caused her some concern. It was just that I knew I would never be able to read as well as my parents, and it was so boring too.