Little Miss-Speak #59 – First Days Of School

#59

So, when the Miss’ class begins school proper, there’s a relatively much larger number of kids on the floors (full house, relatively large class size, waitlist and all) and so for the first few weeks attendance is staggered and parents are required to be in school throughout their day. The teacher would include excerpts like this from various reading sources or blogs in her email to us:

“…children are very sensitive to our feelings. …If we’re unsure, how can our child possibly feel secure? So I recommend always telling your child you will go (sneaking out creates much more anxiety and mistrust), and doing so with kindness, assuredness and confidence in your child as fully capable of handling this situation….”

Now, during Rockstar’s time I had waited in the lobby, and assumed this was the case with the Miss as well, so I told her so.

When we get there however, I realise nowadays all the other parents hang around in class, so just in case the Miss minds, I dawdle a little after delivering her. After 20 minutes…

Miss: Why are you still here, Mummy?

Me: Well, I thought I was supposed to wait downstairs, but none of the other mummies are moving, and that’s why I’m still here.

Miss: <frowns> 

Me: You’re fine if I go? (Miss nods).

Some of the other staff overhear, smile, and wave me out with an, “Enjoy your cake and coffee” 😀 I go to wait downstairs and open my laptop. Collect a fairly cheery and calm child, to school staff saying she’s well behaved etc. Feel pretty bad to say something like “Oh, wait till you get to know her,” because this is school and I don’t want them to misunderstand that, and so I manage a “Well, it’s early yet, and she’s not shy (well downright fearless sometimes). You might get a curveball in a few weeks when she gets more familiar (i.e. a little bored  – she is rather like a little Extreme Sports person :D) and just wants to see how you react…” (Still feel like I’m telling on my child.. she might not actually throw a curveball anymore….)

Second day, rather pleased and unduly optimistic about “cake and coffee”, I deliver a bouncily happy Miss to circle time, only to be told…………..

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Miss: Today you can stay, because other mummies are staying. 

Me: O-or, I could wait for you downstairs like last time? <hopeful>

Miss: You can go when all the other mummies go. <knell of impending doom>

That meant if there’s another mummy on the carpet then I’m on the carpet with her, and at one point I almost got ordered into the huge sand pit and had to point out that the other “grownups” in the pit were school staff, not mummies.

I’m working on a toddler version of, “More than 80 kids on this floor, there are a gadzillion mummies in this room. Every time 1 out of the 80-something is on the carpet or painting or etc you’re going to demand your mummy does ALL of it???”  Obviously phrased that way, I will get a winning smile and a cheery, resounding YYYEEESSS!!!

“..If you can remember to, it’s always best to leave out the “okay?” at the end, since that implies uncertainty or a need for the child’s permission. ..” 

Y-eah SO workin’ on it…

(Thought she didn’t have any of Rockstar’s puzzle bug (while enjoying painting way more than he did) – Rockstar used to do puzzles over and over again from when he was about 2.5, but now just over 3 she’s started to do more puzzles and less painting… Just an idle thought, because Rockstar hasn’t really done many puzzles in years, since acquiring and accumulating the mountain of Lego he’s got now)

She’s listening to shells, in this one

(and filling her bottle after school)

Giddyap, Triceratops!