Back to School: A Little Journey Through My Son’s Kinder 1 Days

It has been a while since my last blog post. My last post was back in February 2026, and so many things have happened since then. Life has been very busy, especially with taking care of my son and managing our small sari-sari store. But today, I finally found some time to write again and share a little story about my son’s journey in school.

My son, Matthew, is currently in Kinder 1, or what we sometimes call “Saling Pusa.” He was only three years old when he started going to school, and he will turn four this coming October 31. Since he was still very young, I decided to accompany him to school and stay with him during his classes.

Every morning, our day would begin with preparing everything Matthew needed for school. I would help him get dressed, prepare his things, and make sure he was ready before leaving the house. It was not always easy because we don't have a helper at home. At the same time, I also have our small sari-sari store, which keeps me busy throughout the day.

One of the challenges I faced was taking Matthew to school while also managing our store. Whenever it was time to bring him to school, I had to temporarily close the store and go with him. I couldn't simply leave him there because I wanted to make sure he was comfortable and safe, especially since he was still very young. I would stay with him throughout the entire class.

But despite the challenges, I actually enjoyed those moments with him.

Matthew is a very active little boy. He loves to move around, play, and interact with other children. Sometimes, he would get more excited about playing with his classmates than sitting quietly in class! That was one of the reasons I really wanted him to experience school. I wanted him to learn how to socialize, make friends, follow instructions, and enjoy being around other children.

One of the activities that Matthew and I especially enjoyed was their feeding program. It was heartwarming to see the community come together to provide healthy and delicious meals for the children. Through the support and contributions from the community, food was prepared for the children throughout the week.

For me, this was more than just giving the children something to eat. It was also an example of how a community can come together to take care of its children. Seeing Matthew happily enjoy his meals made those mornings even more special.

After their lessons and feeding time came the part that the children probably looked forward to the most—playtime!

This was definitely Matthew’s favorite part. The classroom would become filled with laughter, energy, and excitement as the children played with one another. They were not only having fun; they were also learning important things through play. They were learning how to share, communicate, cooperate, and interact with their classmates.

Sometimes, as parents, we think that children only learn when they are sitting quietly and listening to a teacher. But watching Matthew and his classmates made me realize that children can learn so much simply by playing and experiencing things together.

Before the day ended, the children would sing songs and enjoy their final activities. You could see how happy they were, even though they were probably already tired from all the excitement. And then, finally, it was time to go home.

“Uwian na!”

The children would become excited again as they prepared to leave. For them, it was just another school day. But for me, every day was a little memory that I knew I would treasure.

Looking back, I am grateful that I was able to accompany Matthew during this important stage of his childhood. It may sometimes be tiring to balance taking care of him, running our small sari-sari store, and staying with him at school, but these are moments that I know I will never get back.

Matthew may not remember every detail of his Kinder 1 days when he grows older. But I will remember the little things—the morning preparations, walking him to school, watching him play with his classmates, enjoying the feeding program, listening to the children sing, and seeing his excitement when it was finally time to go home.

These simple school days may seem ordinary, but for a mother, they are precious memories.

And perhaps, one day, when Matthew is much older, I can tell him, “I was there with you during your first school adventures.”

For now, I will continue to enjoy every moment, one school day at a time.

PHOTOS ARE ALL MINE. EDITED ON CANVA