It is July so it means our Heinel has already been in his new BIG school for almost a month now. He is slowly adjusting and as each day progresses, I am convinced that after all our considerations, we enrolled him in the right school (read about our decision process here). Just like his former school, his big school has a small classroom setup with just 24 students (boys and girls) and 1 teacher. This made the adjustment easier for him. During those times when I fetched him, I saw that he is already talking and sharing some good laughs with his classmates and he mentions some of their names to me when I ask who plays with him often.
For the major adjustments, Heinel often tells me how flag ceremonies on Mondays bother him. I guess this is because the concept of all the students gathering in one noisy auditorium is something new to him. Getting him in a routine so early in the morning (he wakes up at 5:30am) to eat, take a bath and dress up is also a hit or miss thing depending on his mood upon waking up. Taking the service together with several kids is also a new experience for him but with the presence of his former classmate in preschool taking the same, he is able to enjoy his ride home. In terms of school work, he is coming into terms with the (almost) daily assignments. This is still a work in progress because there are times when he would rather delay and wait for me to come home (which I usually do by 8pm :-() and by then we would not have that much time. During his summer break, I left home a weekly schedule of drills in Math and English that he has to do from Monday to Friday. Now I can see the fruits of that summer activity because he did not forget his lessons which makes it easier for him to understand their lessons now.
As parents, we welcome all these new experiences him because it is part of expanding his world. He often expresses his fear and uncertainty on new situations and we deal with it be explaining why certain things has to be done that way (such as the flag ceremony) and reminding him that he can get through anything and everything, may it be mingling with kids older than him or acing his quizzes. I often tell him a similar experience he had in his preschool and remind him how he was able to overcome it. There is nothing that he can not do but it has to begin with him giving things and experiences a try.
With the coming months I know that Heinel will be fully adjusted already. I am looking forward to a good school year.
It is such a big step when they start big school and some things can be quite overwhelming for them. My little one has recently started at a small nursery as I felt he needed to start getting used to being in an environment with lots of other children around of his own age, rather tun just me, his sister and a couple of friends at the chidlminders. Good luck to EA for the rest of the school year 🙂 x #WeekendBlogHop
Thank you Lindsey! Preschool is exciting too! Socialization is our main reason as well for sending our EA then to preschool at 3 years old because he does not have other kids to play with at home. Good luck too on your child’s new milestone!