Drop-off routine June/ July 2012

Drop-off routine June/ July 2012

a daily journal...

• Day 2 (June 25) - Drop off was surprisingly easy.  Hardly any resistance.  He brought along An Pan Man.  TD wandered off into the classroom without much hesitation and started looking at toys etc, didn't say bye to Daddy, didn't turn back.  Daddy shouted out bye and that Kakak Wari till pick him at 11am (2 pointer fingers)

• Day 3 (June 26) - Went up to class and it was fine.  TD asked for his old teacher Jovanna.  Daddy explained that she was in another class.  TD then asked to go home and that Daddy carried.  TD started crying.  Daddy handed TD over while TD was crying.  TD wanted to go to the Book Room but it was not open yet.  Teacher Neelam carried TD into classroom.

• Day 4 (June 28) - Pretty rough.  TD cried all the way from home.  Wari had to go down with Daddy and TD to put him in car.  TD did not want to carry his schoolbag today.  Big cry at classroom..  Teacher Neelam said TD cried only for a while this morning, and then he was fine.  When Wari picked TD up, he was happy and told Neelam that TD was going to take a taxi to go home!

• Day 5 (June 29) - TD didn't want to leave home with Daddy only.  Wari had to go along to Daddy's car.  In the end, TD brought his favourite crab pillow.  Drop off was easy, teary eyes, but no crying.  In the car, he said "want to see teacher Neelam".  Looks like an improvement!

• Day 7 (Jul 3) - Drop off was okay.  A bit of whining but no crying.

• Day 9 (Jul 5) - TD asked Daddy "Are you ready to make pancakes?"  No fuss at all today.  TD went in and smiled and talked.  TD saw Daddy from inside class and smiled.  Walked in with a smile, turned around, saw Daddy and still smiled.  Daddy waved bye bye.  Daddy left quickly just in case.

• Day 11 (Jul 10) - TD was agreeable to leave pillow at home, but insisted on bringing a small lump of play-doh. 

• Day 13 (Jul 12) Mini whine, but otherwise ok

• Day 14 (Jul 13) Played sand with 老师 before class starts.  All good!

• Day 15 (Jul 16) No crying at drop off.  TD talked to Neelam, walked in and didn't turn around to say goodbye to Daddy!

• Day 16 (Jul 17) Zero resistance at drop off. TD walked in, turned around, smiled at Daddy as Daddy waved bye bye. 

• Day 18 (Jul 18) No whining or anything.  TD carried his bag and took the escalator with Daddy.  TD walked all the way.  Daddy hung up his bag outside class and TD walked in.  TD looked at Daddy and smiled on his way in :)

• Day 19 (Jul 19) After hanging his schoolbag outside class, Daddy heanded TD the plastic folder.  TD walked into class with the folder and gave to teacher.  Then Neelam asked him to sit on the mat and take off this shoes.  TD sat down and fiddled with his shoes.  Daddy left.

• Day 23 (Jul 25) TD walked into classroom, and went to the play area without turning around to say Bye!  Ran off just like that!

TD's first Independent Experience and Mummy's Emotional Experience with First Week of School

For TD's playnursery, there is a Parent and Teacher Communication Book so that we can communicate daily with the teacher, and vice versus should we want to.  On the first day of school when Mummy dropped TD off, he went into the playground area without even turning to say Bye to me.  I went in to tell him Bye and that Mummy & Kakak will pick him up at 11am.  Still he was fixated on the washing machine toy, asking me questions about what each button does... I guess he did not realise that this was an unaccompanied drop-off program.   

Well, following the right protocol, I walked off and downstairs to McDonalds to work.  I was certainly thinking of TD all the time, wondering how he would cope, and I missed him a lot.  Nonetheless, I kept reminding myself that this was a new journey that he had to go through now that he was older than two years old.  Kept reminding myself to concentrate on the work, just as I hoped that he would be concentrating in class. 

When I went up at about 10:50am, I heard my boy saying 'open the door, open the door'.  I think there were three new parents.  We were waiting like it was a scene outside the operating theatre.  I spoke to a mother and she said she heard her boy crying after she left him to pay for the fees.  Her eyes were red, well so was I, trying to hold it in.  Gotto be strong for the boy right?

Day 2, TD came home very happy, chatting & laughing a lot as usual.  He loves his new schoolbag.  Today, TD said, "Teacher Neelan says don't cry", and "Theodore wants Teacher Neelan to open the mouth."  TD started to string longer sentences while conversing at home, and Wari mentioned that TD is more independent at the playground. 

Day 3.  Teacher Neelan wrote that TD was sitting down, concentrating well during circle time.  Apart from anxiety during the first half an hour, the rest of the day activities went on very smoothly.  He did cry a bit in the morning but was diverted when the Teacher Neelan started to talk about the lift. 

TD did come home with his voice a little hoarse from the crying and talking.  Apparently, he was not happy with the last half an hour which was at the Music Room, as he could not see Teacher Neelam.

Day 4.  Cried for less than two minutes.  Hooray!

Came home, and while we were reading to him "sssh, he's fast asleep." Daddy puts his finger to his mouth.   TD said, "Just like teacher Neelam."

Hoping for a smoother Week 2!