Underestimated Kindergarten transition for me and her. :/

My daughter is an easy going, generally obedient, smart and social kid who’s been in full time daycare/ preschool since she was 12 weeks old. I really thought the transition to kindergarten would be pretty smooth.

It’s hasn’t been.

It’s partly the expected, big meltdowns, just very angry a lot, lots of negotiating everything with me. She’s doing great in school and in her new afterschool program, so I get it.

But the part I wasn’t really expecting was the personality change… she’s around ‘big kids’ now. 1st and 2nd graders at recess and cafeteria and up to 5th grade in the after school program and she’s just… different now. She says things she wouldn’t have said before. She acts more performative, like to her younger brother: ”Oh, I forgot, in preschool it’s called the playground, we call it recess and I can’t remember how it was called in preschool”

Idk. It’s only been two weeks and I feel like I lost my little kid in that time.

I know it’s all good, she’s being exposed to new things, this is all inevitable and life and all that. I just really didn’t know how hard it was going to hit. :/