Guest blogger Dani Klein Modisett: My son seems to be adjusting to kindergarten really well -- so why am I so sad?

"Have a great day honey!!! I love you!!! Eat your lunch I packed please!!!!" I screamed to the yellow school bus, hoping my son would hear me through the window. He started kindergarten last week. Kindergarten. He has homework. I hate to sound like my Great Aunt Thelma, but I still remember bringing him home from the hospital, for God's sake. Now he's supposed to LEARN things. 

And make friends. 

All by himself. 

And tell the teacher when he has to go to the bathroom---and maybe she'll even help him wipe his tushy. That's crazy. I'm the only woman who should help my son wipe his tushy. And what's all this pressure to "learn"? Why can't he just stay home with me and lick the spoon while I bake cakes? Probably because I don't bake cakes, but also because that might be a little intellectually and emotionally limiting--and there's no way I have the patience or smarts to home school. Still, a mom can dream.

"How was school today, honey? Tell me EVERYTHING!" I practically scream at him in the back seat every afternoon since he started.

"Fine, Mom."

"FINE? That's it? That's all I get? Fine?"

"Mom, it was fine."

"Did anyone wipe your tushy?"

"MOOOOOOM, that's so gross."

"I know. I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

Silence.

"I miss you, Buddy."

"Can I get a Popsicle, Mom? Please? Please?"

"Sure, kiddo. Sure."

Dani Klein is the mother of 1-year-old Gideon (pictured) and 5-year-old Gabriel. She is comedy writer/creator/producer of the show "Afterbirth...stories you won't read in Parents magazine." An anthology of stories from this show will be published by St. Martin's Press, in stores in May 2009.