School Parent vs Teacher

You can take the teacher out of the classroom but you can't take the teacher out of the person. With Daniel starting Kindy I am finding the transition to being a school parent a bit tricky. I'm finding it hard to get my head around why too. Part of me thinks it's because I'm out of control of what is happening in the classroom. Another part of me things it's because I am not hearing much about school. Most days Daniel tells me he 'can't remember' what he did, even when I ask leading and open ended questions.

All the notes that are sent home, I am struggling a bit to get my head around all that is going on. I need to work out a different set up of the notes to stay on top of all that we need to do (News, Banking, Sport). I'm sure that I will get there though. Just take it one day at a time.

Last night we started home readers. I had in my head this beautiful picture of us sitting down and him excitedly reading his first reader. He is a smart kid and picks things up pretty quickly, plus his love of reading and looking at books, I thought that it would be a great time. Instead it was met with him screaming, crying, saying he was too tired, he wanted to do it at bedtime. We eventually compromised on me reading a different book and then him having a go at his home reader. He did really well with reading it and picked up the rhythm quite quickly. I am proud of him. Normally in the classroom I am really good with helping the kids with their reading but with Daniel I just felt like it was a battle. I understand that the kids at school were probably eager to please. I understand that Daniel is in a safe place and feels he can respond with true emotions at home with me... but it doesn't make it easier. We chatted after he read the book and he said that he was worried about reading it because he didn't know how to read. Fair enough buddy. I just wish he could have expressed that before so I could have helped him read it with confidence. After reading it he then was keen to read it again which was good. Tonight with his home reader he was excited to read it and did it without any problems. Thank goodness.
Again, the feeling of being out of control. But I'm sure we will get into a rhythm.

I am also feeling bad from my teaching perspective for the expectation I put on parents doing the homework we sent home. I always figured that it was easy to fit in the homework, especially home readers. Now I see otherwise. When I go back into teaching, if I have my own class, I hope that I can change my expectation, understanding and sympathy as a teacher. I have never been a big fan of homework (with the exception of reading) but I think being a school mum might help my approach to giving homework and responding to the parents who find it difficult to fit it in. 

Being a school mum is a totally different journey.

Wiggle and Play

For our February Adventure Day we decided to head into the Powerhouse Museum. Daniel had been keen to go back since he went there with Jenny and Oscar last year. I had also heard about the Wiggles display which was great for the kids so was keen to take them while they were still excited about the Wiggles. 

Early in the morning we headed to the station and caught the train into the city.

I love how they hold hands when we go places without us asking

The kids were really good on the train. We had to laugh when James needed to do some shoulder stretches and Alexander thought he was wanting a cuddle.

Cuddle

We then caught the light rail to surprise Auntie Jenny. The kids liked waving hi and bye to the light rail drivers.

She sure was surprised. She said "I saw 2 blondies waving to me. Then I noticed that they were my 2 blondies."

We then continued on to the Powerhouse Museum. Our first stop was the Wiggles Exhibition.

The kids were excited to sit in the Big Red Car and watch an ad for seatbelt safety.

They also got a photo with the Wiggles (well... a photo of the Wiggles.)

We looked at some of the displays and the kids found that they could make Fruit Salad. Daniel really enjoyed this display.

 We then went down and saw Dorothy. Eliza enjoyed making cups of tea in her house and we made roses.

Daddy made a rose for both his girls.

Next it was time to dance with the Wiggles. Alexander adored this display and just loved dancing with them! Daniel quite liked it too.

The kids then went aboard Captain Feathersword's Pirate Ship. Alexander had fun steering the boat.

Eliza and Daniel were safety first.

Which is a good thing. Apparently the seas were quite rough for Daniel.

The kids didn't want to leave but we needed to go to the Future Playground. The kids enjoyed playing with the giant light balls.

We then made cars and buildings to join a city picture. It was really cool to see our pictures appear on the screen.

James' house

Eliza's car

Daniel's crane

We then went and created our own people. It was fun when they all danced and the kids joined in with them.

Eliza's girl

Daniel's boy

James was proud of his guy

Alexander's boy

My girl

The kids had fun sliding and making splashes in an underwater display.

The kids then had a lot of fun playing hopscotch with a difference.
Daniel

Eliza loved doing it!

I just loved Alexander dancing his way down.

Daniel started to feel quite off with a cold so James did the hopscotch with him.

The last display was a city design. The kids enjoyed making rivers, train lines, roads and freeways, helicopter paths. James I think enjoyed this display the most.

 We then headed outside for lunch. Daniel was feeling very flat with his cold and he was starting to feel hot so we headed home. Poor guy was very tired and snuggly on the train back home.

He ended up having a fever when we got home. He did well pushing through the day even though he felt flat. We will definitely return to the Powerhouse Museum.

Daniel's First Day of School

This morning (Monday 5th February 2018) Daniel woke and got dressed into his school uniform. He was very excited (as he has been all week) to go to school! He had his breakfast (with both James and I saying to be careful of his uniform), brushed his teeth then was all ready to go.

Mum and Dad came around to take Eliza to preschool and with Alexander sick with a cold, look after him at home. We did the obligatory photos in his uniform out the front.

I asked Daniel some questions about himself and what he wants to be in the future. I loved hearing his answers.

Then we said bye to Eliza and Nana as they went to preschool. Daniel was keen to go to school but we told him that it was a bit too early. After hanging around inside we then waved bye to Poppy and Alexander and were on our way. 

As we walked down the street we saw Sophie and her parents and said hi to them. When we arrived at school we found Lachie and Rohan and their parents. 

Daniel was excited to see them but also very shy and curious. We went down near the hall and waited for the bell to go. Once the bell rang we walked down to his teacher where the other kids were also lining up. We were told that the kids were to line up with their teacher and they were going to head up to the classroom. Daniel gave James a big hug and it was beautiful to watch James whisper in his ear how proud of him he was. I then gave him a big hug and told him how proud I was of him and to have an awesome day and he quietly said to me 'I thought you'd stay with me longer'. So much of me wanted to walk up to the classroom with him, but I felt it was more helpful to his teacher for me to stay and just wave him bye. Anne, Angus, James and I waved bye to our boys and they both smiled and waved bye to us as they followed the class line. 

It was so nice to see him smiling. I could tell that he was very excited but also a bit nervous. Part of me was jealous of all the other parents who walked up to class with their kids to be a part of that special moment with them. But I know that he would have been fine, that he will be his bright and bubbly self, that he will hold his head up high. Today I have kept wondering how he is feeling, what he is doing and if he is taking everything in (I've been thinking the same with Eliza too to be honest). Being home with just Alexander is lovely and quiet but so different. I miss the 2 big kids, but equally I'm sure that I'm going to wish they were back at school and preschool this afternoon when they're home being loud, full of energy and really being kids. 
(Written during nap time)

In the afternoon Alexander and I walked down to school and waited next to the hall to pick up Daniel. After the bell went he walked down as a class leader. Special. He had a big grin on his face. He didn't see me straight away so was a good boy and waited with Mrs Fearnside. I managed to make it up to him and he came over and gave me a hug. I thanked Mrs Fearnside and she said that he had had a lovely day. She also commented that he was a very kind boy who is very good at seeing a task that needs to be done and working out how to do it or solve it. She also said that he was very ready for school. 

What a lovely comment from his teacher. 

I asked Daniel how his day was and he said 'good'. When I asked him what he did, it was met with 'I can't remember.' I asked if he wrote? He said no. I asked if he counted. He said no. I asked if his teacher read them a book. He said no. I asked who he sat next to. He said Lachie for most of the time. He can't remember who he sat next to at the desks. I asked him if he sang any songs. He said no. I asked if he did some drawing. He said yes. They needed to draw a picture of how the felt about starting school and Daniel drew a picture of himself smiling. I said that I was glad he felt happy. He corrected me and said that he felt excited, not happy but you can't draw excited. I agreed with him. He also said that 2 people before him said they felt happy, he said excited and the next person said happy too which was funny. I asked if his teacher used a big computer screen in the classroom called a SMARTboard. He said they did to read a story. 

I asked him where he played and he said they played in the imagination playground. He played with Lachie, Rohan, James, Ben and someone else who he didn't know his name. 

So overall he had a wonderful first day. He liked having familiar friends and faces. He liked his teacher and is looking forward to having her this year. He is looking forward to going back tomorrow and is looking forward to what he is going to learn this year. I'm proud of you Daniel.

We then went and picked up Eliza from preschool. She had had a wonderful day. Her favourite thing to do was again to dress up. Alison said that Eliza is into everything and is very engaged. She's very comfortable there, which is great. On our way out, Daniel said hi to Laudie, Sandra and Sue (his teachers from last year). After asked Daniel how his day was, Sandra commented that she saw Eliza being a lovely friend and sharing in the playground. She had a toy phone and another girl wanted it so Eliza said that they could share it. So lovely to hear! Then on our way out Jill said that she observed Eliza being very assertive in the playground. I responded with an eeek. She quickly said that it was in a good way. She said that Eliza was playing a game and another kid was getting into her play space so she firmly said 'Stop it. I don't like it.' or something along those lines. Very clear, firm and assertive. I said that that's great, as long as she didn't follow it up with a push like with her brothers. Jill said that she didn't see her respond with a push, just the firm response. So nice to hear positive and encouraging comments from other teachers about how Eliza's going too.

Daniel then enjoyed facetiming Uncle Howie, Auntie Jenny and Oscar.

He then chatted with Nana and Poppy.

Showing them the hand that he coloured for Mummy and Daddy

And then he chatted with Nana J.

I love how our families show an interest in the kids and what they are doing, and in their big moments. 

The start of the next 13 years of his life. 

The night before Daniel's first day of school Carol, our Children's Pastor, asked the Kindy kids to come to church dressed in their uniforms. Daniel was so excited to wear it to church! He did so well on stage and spoke well when answering his name and after a pause he remembered the name of his school. I loved this idea, having the church family celebrate such a milestone in these kiddies lives.

He was excited to get a gift too - a Bible Story and some stickers.

He was also excited on the Friday of school when he got to wear his sports uniform for the first time.