The Line Up

Every day I continue to be amused and amazed at the school line up.  I think I've mentioned it before, but the preschool (ages 3 - 5) is connected to the elementary school.  They do however, line up at a different door than the big kids.  There are 2 classes for each age, making a total of 6 lines of kids.  The classes don't have more than 20-25 in each class.
The majority of the kids don't have a problem lining up, grabbing onto the backpack or shirt of the kid in front of them and walking together to class.  But usually, every day there are a few screaming straggling kids, *a-hem*..... sometimes one of mine being among the stragglers.

Each school and most apartment complexes in Spain have a concierge.  Our school's concierge is awesome!!  I think he knows every kid's name!  And it is him who is ofttimes dragging these kids into class.  I've even seen him unglue a child from his/her mother's arms!!  He doesn't do it in a gruff or mean way.  Just as gentle, kind and as helpful as he can with a smile on his face.  Seriously, I am so impressed with him that I have gotten a little teary.  Ok, I know, that may sound weird but when it is your child that he is graciously dragging into school, ya get a little teary!

Then there is another aspect to the line up.  The coveted spot.  Karis and her killer competitiveness to be first in her class' line.....

or basically anything in life!

Oh my!!

Seriously, it's baaaaad!!!

I've told her before that there is no way we can get to school early in the morning JUST so she can be first.  Not gonna happen!  But, I've told her that we can try to be first, sometimes, when we go back from lunch break.  There are only about 4 kids in her class that go home for lunch, but there is always one girl, S, that is there early.

Now, I try and understand Karis' competitiveness.  There is a part of me that wants to see Karis beat S to school.  Bad mama, I know!  I guess her zeal is rubbing off on me.

But why is it that they always have to be so early every single day?!  Come on!  Ha!  S' mom is always the first one at school to pick up her child and always the first one to drop off her kid.
Of course, we have beat S and her mom, but only a few times.  Honestly, it's starting to wear on me a bit.  Karis is asking me over an hour before we go back if we can go early and she won't stop for nothin'!  Then if she's early I've seen her race to be first on the cherry (that's her line, the cherry line) to go back to class without even saying "Hola!" to S.

So, I am in the midst of trying to teach healthy competition and grace.  Not an easy feat!  Please Lord help me!!  Ha!