D goes off to a "big" school in June.. seems like there are so many small things to prepare for and yes - worry about!
Foremost among them to do with
1. Getting up early - I greatly believe that there are some of us that just need to sleep more than others .. atleast that's always been my excuse for needing the amount of sleep I do :). So of course I worry about how I will start waking up early to inculcate this schedule in my daughter. But in the last few days she has been going to Vacation Bible School at church for which she catches a van at 7 am, coming back at 1:15 in the same way. I am just so proud of the way she has adapted.. no fuss.. no complaints of feeling sleepy or tired.. so this is one step that I'm hoping I don't need to worry about in June :). Yay for me and her !
Then there's the usual others:
2. Long travel time - Seemed like most of our priority schools were in the range of 10-15 kms, so we decided to go with our first priority because of our faith in the school, and hoping the travel part will settle in. Now with the bit of van travel she's been doing, feel a lot more confident about this.
3. Food schedule and content- Getting used to new breakfast timings, eating a light lunch at school, then maybe another one at home - don't know how it's all going to come across that too with D being a fussy eater - especially when I'm not very inventive with food that's interesting as well as healthy :(
4. The pangs of separation - this one more for me than her, atleast i'm hoping so. I can't imagine a world where I put my baby in a bus/van at 7 am and only see her again at 3 pm!!
5. The small things - like staying in shoes the whole day not like her montessori school where they take off shoes outside the environment! Looking after her things - she's so used to using the pencils and other items from the environment and not needing to take any of her own, that she has no clue yet how to look after her stuff :(. I envision buying hundreds of pencils and crayons atleast in the first months! Getting used to being in uniform - or rather me getting used to washing and ironing the same set of clothes day after day and keeping them ready ;)! Talking of uniforms - I was thrilled to find that items such as slips and leggings were given as standart items of the uniform and I don't have to go around looking for them :).
I'm sure this is just the beginning and I'm going to write about 5 more such lists before June comes around ;). Anyone with tips, please do let me know.
Yes its going to be a big change for her, but am sure she will do just fine! Remember to label everything - stationery, books, uniforms, water-bottles. It'll be really helpful for her to keep track of her belongings.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found really helpful also was to plan a weekly menu before-hand. I have the same menu for the 1st and 3rd weeks of the month, and a different one for the 2nd and 4th weeks. My husband gets the same food in his lunchbox too :) That way, I'm not racking my brains abt what to cook (at 5 am :)) and I can plan ahead.
Ayaan's new school has a 'no uniforms' policy. I am not looking forward to the daily struggle over what to wear :(
ReplyDelete@Aparna - thanks so much for those tips! Labelling - definitely need to remember that one! Menus - I always have good intentions on that but never manage to actually implement :(. Will try my hardest this time and have to make it happen!
ReplyDeleteRohini - Wow that's quite a tough task .. Am sure you'll figure out a schedule of clothing soon! All the best :).
We mothers exasperatedly wish for our toddlers to join school so that we get some time off and when the time actually comes, we find it difficult to let go. SIGH! motherhood! I have been planning/waiting to send my 16 month son to a playschool but find myself delaying the process for no valid reason.
ReplyDeleteD will do just fine with all the five check items on your list.
Thanks Uma, Keeping fingers crossed :)
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about playschool at 16 months and all - I know everyone starts saying it's better for them to mix with other children and stuff like that. But I feel 2 years is definitely the earliest especially if you have a choice of looking after him and encouraging his learning yourself :).