This week saw an emotional event. My youngest child started preschool and I cried my very last first day of school tears… sigh. It was completely unplanned that he would go to school this year. Since he will turn 4 in January I thought I would send him to preschool next year but I changed my mind last week.
If you recall, my youngest has speech issues.. he doesn’t talk that much and when he does no one else outside of family can understand him. Last year he started attending Speech Therapy twice a week but he DETESTED it so he we discontinued. This year I hoped to work more with him myself, using picture books, his Tag Junior, and some other tools designed for speech therapy at home and I think we have made some serious improvement. I also wanted him to get more interaction with other kids, who are not related to him, so he could hear them talk and use their words. But perhaps we live in a No Free Range Kids zone because the playgrounds are all but abandoned when we go.
Then out of the blue I get a call from the school district in our new city and they tell me that our old school district decided to send them paperwork for my son and they asked if I wanted to put him in preschool. The preschool is an immersion preschool with half the kids being special needs. I went down there took a look, really liked what I saw, and decided to send him. He is only in school 2.5 hours each day but with the bus ride it is more like 4 hours. If you count the two hour naps he takes when he gets home then you can see why I miss him so much!!
The school is only 5 minutes away too but that is the other development in our lives… our one car policy is biting us in the backside since my husband just got switched to working days. But Parker is always trying to jump on the bus at his sibling’s school, so I think the bus ride is a perk as far as he is concerned. Now I actually have to drag myself out of bed at 6:00 am to get him ready for the bus at 6:55… AND make sure he gets the only breakfast he can be convinced to eat at that hour… sliced fruit sprinkled with Bare Naked banana crunch granola. Like me, he doesn’t like eating first thing in the morning.
So, we will see how this goes. I never wanted to send him to preschool this early but I want to make sure he gets help with his speech issues BEFORE he starts Kindergarten. Next year I may send him to a private pre-school and if we are living where I think we may be living, I will have TONS of options.. Waldorf, Montessori, ect.
But by golly this kid has been attached to my hip since he was born and I am having a hard time with this separation. :( In the picture at the top take notice of his shirt.. I put masking tape on it with his name… I had fantasies of him being lost all morning and he can’t say his own name very well. It sounds more like Potter than Parker.
What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger…
Hang in there! This will be good for him, but I can see how hard it is… Good luck and I hope only good things come from this!!
Aww… missing the kids is so hard! Hopefully it will help with the speech issues enough that he’ll be fine by kindergarten. My son has speech issues too, and I’m really hoping the therapy will get things going for him too. We just moved to a new town, and the school district here just started a classroom style speech therapy, the logic being that it gives a more realistic setting in which to practice their skills. I think it looks better than the style he’d had before, with just the therapist and a classmate or two.
That’s a tough one! I’m sure he will do great though and you will adjust too. :)
oh, my…and hour and a half on the bus? At least he likes it! :)
I am debating sending my 4yo to preK next year…I know she’s board here at home with me all day ever since my son went to K this year…and yeah, our parks and neighborhoods are empty too!!!
what happened to everyone?….
Hi,
Love yr blog! I really liked your free-range chicken article too; we have chickens, it’s fantastic to get the lovely fresh eggs every day. I am also doing my best to bring our family up with more sustainable, organic living; and reaping the health benefits too.
My son starts prep next year, so I know exactly what you mean! Time seems to just disappear doesn’t it?! It’s so great to see them growing, and getting more independant too though… getting a good circle of friends etc. Be encouraged, it’ll be great for him! I can’t believe it’s only a few more months, and my little one will be tottering off to school five days a week! …the house will seem very quiet for a while, I’m sure. It makes the time you share with them so much more precious doesn’t it?
Bye for now, : )
Although extremely difficult for you, it does seem like this will be a good option for him. Big hugs to you – I remember that feeling!!!! So bittersweet….
Awe Tiffany, your post practically put me to tears… especially in the end when you explained his ‘name tag’ – cute little fella:) My son is only 17 months old and this may sound nuts but i’ve already been dreading that first day of school, thinking heavens, if i already have tears over this, can you imagine the mess i’ll be in when it really happens/!??! YIKES. ha. This was just such a sweet post and it shows how your doing what you feels best for you baby … like we all try to do:) I always enjoy your blog…