On the way home from dropping off Chloe and Charlie at their schools this morning, Gigi and I had a fierce argument about which is LEFT and which is RIGHT. I’m thoroughly exhausted and she’s absolutely furious. When we got home, we each had a piece of chocolate to calm down.

Cassie: Where are you going?

Genevieve: To my room. Now I have to practice the NEW left and right because some of the people taught me the wrong way to do left and right.

Cassie: Don’t be mad. It’s a hard thing to learn but once you get it, you’ll never forget it.

Genevieve: After the left and right you need to teach me how to tie my shoes.

Cassie: I do?

Genevieve: Yup. For kindergarten. I have to know my alphabet, how to count to ten, left and right and how to tie shoelaces. In kindergarten, you can’t pee your pants, which I didn’t do since I was a baby and I almost know how to read books.

Cassie: You’ll have Pre-K next year. That’s the school year BEFORE kindergarten. THEN you’ll go to kindergarten.

Genevieve: I won’t have kindergarten next year?

Cassie: No.

Genevieve: Even if I know all that stuff?

Cassie: Nope. Even if you know all that. You don’t turn five in enough time before the school year starts. So you have to wait a year before kindergarten. Those are the rules. The same thing happened to Charlie because his birthday’s in November too.

Genevieve: Is he pretty good at school even if he didn’t go to kindergarten early? Is he good enough at it?

Cassie: Yes. He is.

Genevieve: Can I learn to read the books in Pre-K BEFORE I go to kindergarten?

Cassie: Yes. That’s entirely possible.

Genevieve: When we get back home to New Jersey, you need to tell the teacher in Pre-K to teach me to read BEFORE I go to kindergarten.

Cassie: Okay. Or, YOU can ask her to teach you. How about that?

Genevieve: Or, after we do the shoes right now, we’ll work on reading. Okay?

Cassie: Really?

Genevieve: I know how to read “STOP,” “GO” and “MOM.” You have to teach me all the other words.

Cassie: There are a lot of words, Genevieve.

Genevieve: We have a long time to do it until kindergarten comes. I’ll tell you when to come upstairs after I practice left and right. Okay? Then, we’ll do shoelaces and some reading. I’ll call you when I’m ready.

Cassie: So we’re going to do “School” today?

Genevieve: Yes, Mom. But not pretend. This is going to be “Real School.”

Cassie: Got it. I’ll probably need some more coffee.

Genevieve: Good. This will be so good.