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Robyn Kozierok
September 14th 03, 12:02 AM
My 2.5yo is starting preschool on Wednesday. Last week he was supposed
to have a "cubby visit" (one child at a time visiting the classroom with
their parent, to choose a cubby and get accustomed to the room, etc.) on
Tuesday, and then shortened sessions with a smaller group on Wednesday
through Friday, but he was out sick and missed the whole thing. So he
will be jumping into the full-group situation "cold turkey" among kids
who have all had more time to get oriented. I plan to talk to the
(wonderful, from what I have been able to tell so far) teacher about what
she suggests, but I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions as
well. On the bright side, he did attend a few days of "camp" in the
same classroom over the summer, so he's accustomed to at least the
physical layout of the room, though I expect the (new) teacher will have
changed some things around.

The preschool is an incredible place, so I'm not feeling too many twinges
about sending him off so young, but I do feel bad that he has missed their
carefully planned out gradual introduction to school, especially since
other than the 4 days of toddler camp, he has never been in anyone's care
besides his parents and grandparents.

--Robyn (mommy to Ryan 9/93 and Matthew 6/96 and Evan 3/01)

Karen G
September 15th 03, 04:28 PM
We made it to orientation last week and are missing the first day with
my 4 1/2 year old due to illness. What a bummer.

If they will let you, maybe you can arrive a bit early on the first day
so that he can get reaquainted with the space.

Karen G

Robyn Kozierok
September 22nd 03, 03:36 PM
[Evan, 2.5 yo, started preschool last week. He had missed orientation
activities due to illness]

In article >,
Karen G > wrote:
>
>If they will let you, maybe you can arrive a bit early on the first day
>so that he can get reaquainted with the space.

We did in fact arrive a bit early. The head teacher concentrated on
getting Evan settled while the assistant teacher and student teacher
dealt with the other kids as they began to arrive. Evan quickly found
some toys he was interested in, and then found chalk to color on the
chalkboard with. I told him I'd be back after lunch, kissed him goodbye,
and left. No tears (for him *or* me! -- it helped that I was scheduled
to volunteer at my older kids' school that day, which I'd missed being
able to do since Evan's birth, so I was kept busily occupied too).

When I picked him up, I asked if he'd had a fun day at school and he
replied, "Yes." This is significant in that it was the first time he'd
ever replied to a question with yes. Usually he says "No" to everything
first, then repeats the name of whatever it was if he wants to change his
answer to "yes", as in:

mom: Evan, do you want a cookie?
Evan: No, no, no, no cookie!
<pause>
Evan: cookie! (in this tone like he just thought of a great idea;
everything must be his idea!)

So, I was expecting an answer like "No, no, fun-a-school..... fun-a-school!"
and was shocked to hear "yes." :) Apparently school is having a good influence
on him already :)

The next two days went just a smoothly. He was a little hesitant when I
said I was leaving the third day, but I just stayed a few minutes longer
and told him that while he played with his friends, I was going to go do
boring grown-up stuff :) and again managed to leave without tears. Every
day he answered in the affirmative when asked if he'd had a good day at
school. :) Another milestone successfully reached.

--Robyn (mommy to Ryan 9/93 and Matthew 6/96 and Evan 3/01)

Banty
September 22nd 03, 05:19 PM
In article >, Robyn Kozierok says...
>
::snip::

>When I picked him up, I asked if he'd had a fun day at school and he
>replied, "Yes." This is significant in that it was the first time he'd
>ever replied to a question with yes. Usually he says "No" to everything
>first, then repeats the name of whatever it was if he wants to change his
>answer to "yes", as in:
>
>mom: Evan, do you want a cookie?
>Evan: No, no, no, no cookie!
><pause>
>Evan: cookie! (in this tone like he just thought of a great idea;
> everything must be his idea!)
>
>So, I was expecting an answer like "No, no, fun-a-school..... fun-a-school!"
>and was shocked to hear "yes." :) Apparently school is having a good influence
>on him already :)

Reminds me of when my son was about 20 months old, and I was setting up to color
Easter eggs with him. He was in a high chair and I was way on the other side of
the kitchen (sort of a railroad kitchen). The kit I got was getting to be a
hassle, and it looked like my son was little too sleepy and a little fussy that
afternoon (he was napping a little unreliably then). So I decided to put it
away for later.

Well, apparently he had noticed the goings on with the kit, and I know he did
some similar activity in daycare, but anyway when he saw me start to put things
away he fussed. I continued thinking he was still just fussy, then he came out
with this clear-as-a-bell "YES, YES, YESSSSSS, YES, YES" pointing frantically
at what I was doing. And just about jumped out of the high chair with glee when
I brought the kit over to the table.

Those were the first real "yes"s I recall. The incident really shows how
frustrating it is to kids to be barely verbal, too.

Banty

Robyn Kozierok
September 22nd 03, 05:31 PM
In article >,
Banty > wrote:
>
>Reminds me of when my son was about 20 months old, and I was setting
>up to color >Easter eggs with him. He was in a high chair and I was
>way on the other side of >the kitchen (sort of a railroad kitchen).
>The kit I got was getting to be a >hassle, and it looked like my son
>was little too sleepy and a little fussy that >afternoon (he was
>napping a little unreliably then). So I decided to put it >away for
>later.

>
>Well, apparently he had noticed the goings on with the kit, and I know
>he did >some similar activity in daycare, but anyway when he saw me
>start to put things >away he fussed. I continued thinking he was still
>just fussy, then he came out >with this clear-as-a-bell "YES, YES,
>YESSSSSS, YES, YES" pointing frantically >at what I was doing. And
>just about jumped out of the high chair with glee when >I brought the
>kit over to the table.

Too cute!!

>Those were the first real "yes"s I recall. The incident really shows how
>frustrating it is to kids to be barely verbal, too.

Yes indeed! Evan, when he was much less verbal a few months ago, would
laugh with joy and relief whenever we finally figured out what it was he
was trying to ask for.

--Robyn (mommy to Ryan 9/93 and Matthew 6/96 and Evan 3/01)

Nicholas Chang
September 23rd 03, 02:07 AM
(Robyn Kozierok) wrote in message >...
> [Evan, 2.5 yo, started preschool last week. He had missed orientation
> activities due to illness]
>
> In article >,
> Karen G > wrote:
> >
> >If they will let you, maybe you can arrive a bit early on the first day
> >so that he can get reaquainted with the space.
>
> We did in fact arrive a bit early. The head teacher concentrated on
> getting Evan settled while the assistant teacher and student teacher
> dealt with the other kids as they began to arrive. Evan quickly found
> some toys he was interested in, and then found chalk to color on the
> chalkboard with. I told him I'd be back after lunch, kissed him goodbye,
> and left. No tears (for him *or* me! -- it helped that I was scheduled
> to volunteer at my older kids' school that day, which I'd missed being
> able to do since Evan's birth, so I was kept busily occupied too).
>
> When I picked him up, I asked if he'd had a fun day at school and he
> replied, "Yes." This is significant in that it was the first time he'd
> ever replied to a question with yes. Usually he says "No" to everything
> first, then repeats the name of whatever it was if he wants to change his
> answer to "yes", as in:
>
> mom: Evan, do you want a cookie?
> Evan: No, no, no, no cookie!
> <pause>
> Evan: cookie! (in this tone like he just thought of a great idea;
> everything must be his idea!)
>
> So, I was expecting an answer like "No, no, fun-a-school..... fun-a-school!"
> and was shocked to hear "yes." :) Apparently school is having a good influence
> on him already :)
>
> The next two days went just a smoothly. He was a little hesitant when I
> said I was leaving the third day, but I just stayed a few minutes longer
> and told him that while he played with his friends, I was going to go do
> boring grown-up stuff :) and again managed to leave without tears. Every
> day he answered in the affirmative when asked if he'd had a good day at
> school. :) Another milestone successfully reached.
>
> --Robyn (mommy to Ryan 9/93 and Matthew 6/96 and Evan 3/01)


My daughter Jillian started school about a month ago. It wasn't
preschool, but first grade. She didn't go to preschool or
kindergarten because my wife and I had initially agreed on home
schooling our children ourselves, but we realized how much we each had
to give up in terms of work and money that we settled for a Christian
academy.

I remember the first day I took her to class. I was taken back when
she just said "Ok, Daddy, I'll see you at home." (Her mother picks her
up). So I just hugged and kissed her and said goodbye, and she ran
over to some kids, and I'm thinking, she's already pulling away.

Yes, a milestone. One I didn't really look forward to nor really
planned on, but it certainly is an end to an era.

-Nick