So, various family members figured that we should hit the road and drive three hours in order to see the first solar eclipse that’s ever been in driving distance of us.
And then it turns out that my son’s oldest son has his first day of kindergarten that very day.
Quite aside from the fact that I think school starts way too early here, if it were my kid instead of my kid’s kid, we would just start off poorly by cutting class the very first day, and go see the eclipse.
But my son is probably thinking of the photo op of all the parents tearfully hugging their kiddos at the door of the school, and if he misses the Very First Day then things will be all different. Or maybe it’s my daughter-in-law thinking that way. Or maybe it’s just that this is their first one and they want to do everything right.
I am trying to sway them. Yes, it’s a drive (but, you know, three hours). Yes, it might be cloudy. Yes, it’s cutting school. (Oh please. Kindergarten?)
Anybody got anything persuasive to say? What would y’all do?
Eclipse. It’s kindergarten. Some people don’t even show up until first grade.
It’s not a choice you can make for them, however. Go without them. The reality is that the kid probably won’t remember much of the eclipse or the first day of kindergarten. If the first day is of school is more important to them, you can’t really change that. Go see the eclipse and have a great day.
I remember when I was in first grade, I wanted to stay up late to see Halley’s Comet. My grandma wouldn’t let me. I feel that in general she was a very smart, wise person, but I think that that occasion was one of her few mistakes.
Why do you care whether your son goes to see the eclipse or not? He’s not asking you to stay at home for the first-day-of-kindy thing, surely?
Let him set his own priorities for which event he wishes to attend. If he’s old enough to have a kid, he’s old enough to make a decision like this. You make your own decision, but accept that you have no business imposing it on him. Problem solved.
But this is not your child. It’s your grandchild, and the best advice I can give you is to butt out. The parents know your opinion, but it’s their decision to make. You will drive a wedge between you and their family if you can’t let them parent their own way.
Well, I’m still his parent, and as a parent you never stop trying to keep your kids from making decisions they will regret for the rest of their life, not that it ever works…
No, I don’t have to go to first day of kindergarten. Really, neither does my son, but of course he will. Of course he’s old enough to make the decision, but in fact he’s being a little indecisive. I’m just trying to tip the balance. “Internet says go” might do it.
Kid is very into astronomy and he’s five. I think he might remember going to see the eclipse. For the rest of his life. He will still have a first day of kindergarten, to remember for the rest of his life. I would guess he’s not going to be the only one out the first day.
I’m making my first ever trip to the US this August, and a major factor in that was the eclipse, so that’s where my vote is going. The experience of seeing an eclipse can’t even be approximated by seeing thousands of pictures.
I saw my first major astronomical event when I was about 7, I think, and I still remember it well. Lunar eclipse - nowhere near as stunning as the total solar eclipse I saw at the age of 19, but still amazing. I’m not sure if a kid of kindergarten age would remember it long-term, but it would still be something very different and memorable for a while, I’m sure.
It’s not like he won’t have a first day of kindergarten. It just won’t be the official first day. He will have to deal with the unpleasant feelings that arise whenever one is a johnny-come-lately. A nervous, anxious high-strung kid might freak out over something like this, but most kids wouldn’t.
I experienced my first total solar eclipse in the first grade. I will never forget that day because it was so freakin’ cool.
What kind of idiotic school system schedules the first day of school during such a rare event? Plus, school shouldn’t start in August, even when there isn’t an eclipse. Especially kindergarten!! Live your life by your own rules, not those imposed on you by The Man. Teach the kid early to question authority. RESIST!!!
You can always photoshop his image into the class picture later, if need be.
I vote eclipse. That said, there’s another full eclipse in North America in 2024 (albeit a further hike from Colorado) so if he does miss this one, it’s not as though he’ll never get the chance to see one. And missing a day of …(working the math) 6th grade?.. may noy feel as big a deal as First Day of Kindergarten.
So I’m still firmly in the eclipse camp but it’s not the end of the world otherwise.
The kid will have a first day of first grade, a first day of high school, a first day of college. (and if he’s already been to day-care or pre-school, the first day of kindergarten is really no big deal anyway).
He may never have a chance to be within an easy drive of a total eclipse.
This part of the internet says ‘go to the eclipse’.
Yes, this. Besides school, he will have many other firsts in his life, but the eclipse may be a once in a lifetime event. That’s a great argument, but in the end it’s your son’s choice. Has anyone asked your grandson what he’d like to do?
One of my most vivid memories of childhood was of a near total eclipse (~97% coverage) on or about the last day of 6th grade.
I vote eclipse. No way will the kids remember first day of kindergarten. There is a chance of him remembering a total eclipse. Use it as a teaching moment. Let him know that school is a wondrous place where he will learn so many things. And that some day he will even what caused something so awesome as the eclipse he just saw! THAT is how to get kid excited about school.
I was lucky enough to have experienced the solar eclipse in 1970* and it was magical. I think it must’ve been on a weekend, too, because we were all outside watching it. I was about 13 at the time, so not quite the same as being 5, but I’ll never forget it. We didn’t have to go anywhere, as we lived right smack dab in the middle of the path. The weird thing about it is that you didn’t really notice it getting darker until just about the peak. Then it seemed like things were dimming a bit, and BOOM!! The light went out like someone had flipped a switch. Dogs went absolutely bonkers.
*Why does that story on my Yahoo page say this upcoming eclipse is the first one in the US since 1918? I’m not that old!
Drunk Humor, or Drunk Reality? You decide…