MY NEW SCHOOL

This post is mostly for
the grandparents

This week we moved Tau to a new daycare center.

Hmn. I’m not supposed to call it “daycare” according to the kid — it’s “MY NEW SCHOOL!”

MY NEW SCHOOL is a bit closer to our house (by one block) but it has a lower ratio of kids to teachers, a slightly more structured environment and, well, a number of things that we hope will be slightly better. It was very sad saying goodbye to Tau’s friends and teachers — Miss Gaby, for example, has known and been with Tau since he came into the infant room there at four months old.

I went in to pick up a beautiful art and photo album she made for him and when I opened it, I burst into tears. And when I turned around to thank Gaby, she was all teary too. It’s hard to separate from people who’ve become part of your extended family, who’ve cared for your child since he was so brand new.

The first week at MY NEW SCHOOL went very well. Tau and I had visited for an hour a couple weeks back, so he knew the early morning drill — playing on the cool new climbing structure, circle time on the colorful mat, picking your job for the day and counting out the days of the month.

One thing I find a bit strange — and I say this at the risk of offending American readers — is that circle time includes reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, hand to heart. I’m all for pride in country (within limits) but isn’t 2 1/2 a little young?

After circle time, the kids do free play … cars, trucks, dinosaurs, dolls, blocks, puzzles, shaving foam … yes, messing on trays with shaving foam … icky, gooey fun. Throughout the day they have two snacks, lunch, nap time, art time, outside play on the jungle gym, in the sand pit and at the water-play tables. The routine is very similar to what we had at the old daycare, so the adjustments have been minor. Tau’s two new teachers seem very nice and he’s taken to them well so far.

The biggest change has been that we now have to pack a lunch every day. Tau has a new lunch pack and lunch box that he’s very proud of … his one teacher says he struts around the classroom with it.

Another big change is that they say he’s definitely ready for full-on potty training — they’re trying him on the potty every half hour and he’s doing really well. So we’ll be trying that cold-turkey, underpants-only this week.

Good luck to them … and to us!