This is one of those parenting posts
I realize that I have… five more days of Panama splendor for you to feast your eyes on, but I’m gonna have to take a break in the action to say this:
TODAY WAS JASPER’S FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL:
I’ve discussed our whole Montessori debate, to-preschool-or-not-to-preschool, a few times (and on Offbeat Mama), but I’m not sure if I ever said what we decided to do. The director of Jasper’s school called us mid-summer, and I voiced my concerns. They were mostly about whether or not he was really old enough, and whether or not there would be other kids around his age in the school. When we visited, both classrooms had lots of three and four-year-olds, and Jasper had just turned two. I was worried that come August, when he’s now one month shy of two-and-a-half, that there’d still be kids that are at least a year older than him — and I didn’t think it was fair to Jasper or to the other kids to have such a big age difference. She told me that a few other two-and-a-half-year-olds will be starting this month and in September, so that eased my mind.
Jasper’s only going twice a week for a few hours each day — nothing too dramatic. Today Sean and I stayed for an hour and a half, and they told me that he was fine for thirty minutes after we left, cried, and then was distracted by the caterpillars and butterflies that are on the walls. When I picked him up, Jasper summarized his experience by saying, “I played soccer outside. I ate food. I was sad. Then I was happy. I sat with friends.” and he also said that he wants to go back, so I guess that’s good.. right?
We’ll see. We’re both really excited about Montessori and what we’ve heard, and we want to stick with it. I think that he’ll adjust after a week or two and be golden. I, for one, am looking forward to the three hours of uninterrupted work-and-play time that I’ll have twice a week, which should significantly alleviate my workload — maybe I’ll actually get into bed BEFORE one AM a few nights a week! Magic.
TODAY WAS JASPER’S FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL:
I’ve discussed our whole Montessori debate, to-preschool-or-not-to-preschool, a few times (and on Offbeat Mama), but I’m not sure if I ever said what we decided to do. The director of Jasper’s school called us mid-summer, and I voiced my concerns. They were mostly about whether or not he was really old enough, and whether or not there would be other kids around his age in the school. When we visited, both classrooms had lots of three and four-year-olds, and Jasper had just turned two. I was worried that come August, when he’s now one month shy of two-and-a-half, that there’d still be kids that are at least a year older than him — and I didn’t think it was fair to Jasper or to the other kids to have such a big age difference. She told me that a few other two-and-a-half-year-olds will be starting this month and in September, so that eased my mind.
Jasper’s only going twice a week for a few hours each day — nothing too dramatic. Today Sean and I stayed for an hour and a half, and they told me that he was fine for thirty minutes after we left, cried, and then was distracted by the caterpillars and butterflies that are on the walls. When I picked him up, Jasper summarized his experience by saying, “I played soccer outside. I ate food. I was sad. Then I was happy. I sat with friends.” and he also said that he wants to go back, so I guess that’s good.. right?
We’ll see. We’re both really excited about Montessori and what we’ve heard, and we want to stick with it. I think that he’ll adjust after a week or two and be golden. I, for one, am looking forward to the three hours of uninterrupted work-and-play time that I’ll have twice a week, which should significantly alleviate my workload — maybe I’ll actually get into bed BEFORE one AM a few nights a week! Magic.
