As his mom, I consider it my job to teach him basic knowledge {colors, letters, left and right}, to train him in manners and social skills, and to shepherd his heart towards love and obedience to God. I always assumed Asher would attend preschool as a 4 year old - hey, it didn't seem fair to expect him to go from full-time at home to all day school cold turkey - but that was still a few years away.
Then he got his evaluation from Early Intervention last fall and started speech and occupational therapy. I haven't mentioned it recently because, since our move, we stopped receiving services. Asher has been doing SO much better with his speech. He's a true parrot these days, repeating everything we say and using it on his own later. His motor skills are still a little lagging, and that's part of why Drew and I thought it would be good for him to have consistent time with kids his own age each week. I think it will help him to be around 2 year olds that do some things he can't {or won't}. Hopefully the desire to play with them will spur him towards doing more climbing, more running, more everything that he avoids now.
Our move was another big factor that I wasn't anticipating a few years ago. Asher is at such a critical age for social development and since we moved to another state we left all of our friends behind. It takes times to grow a new circle and I really worry about A regressing into a secluded guy in the meantime.
We've found a new church we love and have been attending there for the past month or so. Each Sunday Asher goes in the 2 year old classroom while Drew and I attend the worship service. Of course, he cried at first, but now he loves it. Several times throughout the week he'll randomly ask me, "Have church? Play kids?". He wants to go! He wants to play with the other kids! I think he's ready to get a lot out of school and will definitely love the social aspect.
Then, of course, there's the ladybug. :-)
Ah, sweet bug. I know she'll be a wonderful addition to our family, but let's face it - her arrival will seriously rock our world. I think it will be a nice security for Asher to have a few things in his life that remain unchanged once the baby is born. Going to school from 9-12 on Tuesdays and Thursdays can be one of those things. I'm hoping it will be "his time" to be with friends, enjoy a little independence from me, and do big boy stuff that babies can't be a part of.
Despite all of these great reasons I still worry because he's my baby and I love him - what if one of the other kids is mean? What if he just can't keep up and gets left behind? What if he cries for me everyday and hates it?
I'm 100% sure that I'm over thinking the whole situation, but sending a part of yourself out into the world, even for just 6 hours a week {at a church. with trained teachers.} is hard to do.
I mean, how is it possible that this little guy is ready for school already?
This very wordy post isn't meant as a defense to our decision or as a judgement towards others who make a different choice. As always, this blog is here to record our life - and my thoughts. I'm sure that in a few weeks' time I'll be able to share with you all that Asher is thriving in school - that he has friends, has learned new songs and stories, and can't wait to wave goodbye to me from the doorway.
Let's be honest - like most things involving our kids, I'm sure this will be harder for me than it is for him. :-)
I typed a comment and it didn't go through. Ugh! One more try...
ReplyDeleteAw. I think it would be hard and you would worry no matter how many hours a week it is going to be! He's your baby and of course you want to be there with him all the time! But, you also want to see him blossom into a confident kiddo too! I think it will definitely be harder for you than it is for him. Haha. I remember Cameron's first day of preschool. I was expecting tears and hanging on momma's leg...but he didn't. I was so surprised because he is a pretty sensitive kid. He said "Bye mommy, I'm gonna have fun" and then I left him for 3 hours. I went to work and was a mess. I think my first client that afternoon probably thought I was a basket case. Haha. I went to get him and he didn't want to leave. Haha. I know he was a little older than Mr. A...but I bet he will do fabulous as well. We have been thinking the same things as you. We have lived here for 3 years...but still don't have a circle...we have very few friends with kids E's age here. Really very few friends here in general...so it makes it hard. E is also VERY hesitant physically as well. He refuses to go down slides, he most definitely won't climb on the thing like A in that pic, and he runs really slow compared to most kids his age. I have to remind myself that he has just now been walking for a little over a year. He is a dare devil at home...but take him to a park and he freezes. I think the consistency, like you mentioned with ladybug coming, will be great for A. It is definitely a transition and a lot will change. It will be good to have one thing that is just for him that doesn't change. Another reason we would like to get Ethan in somewhere(along with the peer interaction) but we can't find anywhere that will take him at this age (like I mentioned). We are actually checking out a montesorri school this week to see if they will take him 2 days a week, but that will be based on if we can even afford it :-/ . I think it's awesome you have somewhere that will take A that you trust. Be confident in your decisions as his Momma! After all, Momma knows best! I think it's a great thing! You will have to keep us updated on how much he likes it and all the friends he makes :)
Oh this seriously made me cry?! No idea why... maybe I am emotional today for some reason! But I can assure you this will be MUCH tougher on you than him! Like I said in my post yesterday, I just don't think we give our babes the credit of being 'grown' babies! No doubt you are making the right decision! He will LOVE it! Sometimes on the weekends Hadlea will ask to go to school... and I am like, "what? you cannot even spend two full days with me?!" :) But I know she loves it and that is all that matters! And just a reminder that she cried every morning for almost an entire year before she decided she loved it! :)
ReplyDeleteCannot wait to hear how it all goes! And little lady bug will get some great one on one time with momma!
I feel the same way when I think about putting LB in preschool (whenever that will happen!) I think my totally irrational "fear" is that she has learned everything from me these past 2.5+ years and soon she will come home and know how to do something that I never taught her. Or I won't understand what she's saying because I wasn't there to experience it with her - irrational, I know!? But I guess we have to let go and let them bloom someday! Asher seems like a wonderfully bright, curious, intelligent, happy toddler and he will stay that way because you gave him an awesome foundation and he will just build off of that come preschool! He will do amazing and you'll be able to look back at this post and wonder why you were so nervous :) Can't wait to see his first picture from his first day of school!! eeek!
ReplyDeleteCarter started school on Wednesday (see my post coming up on Monday) and it was a REALLY tough day. I ended up having to pick him up early because he was so upset. Today he went in and made it through the whole day with only a few tears at drop off. We've talked about this before but the whole school thing was a huge decision for my husband and I and we finally went for it because of baby #2. I think every day will be a little easier and even though this was a tough week, I know C will settle in and become more and more comfortable.
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