Gwen finished her first week of school today. She said to me a couple of mornings this week that it was a "long time" until I came to pick her up at the end of the day. This tore at my heart strings, because I also feel like 9-3 is a long time for a first school experience. I plan to pick her up early here and there, but felt it was important for her to get the first week under her belt first.By today her slight hesitation of the last couple days had escalated to full blown tears when we arrived at the school room door. The teacher first sent one of Gwen's friends over to encourage her to come in, to no avail. I reassured and reassured, but finally Laoshi Sharon, the head teacher, who is lovely, came over and got her from me. Gwen went to her and I was able to walk away, but not without second guessing myself for having her in school at all.
After school I met her for the two of us to ride the "bus" (van) home together. She could start taking this van both to and from school next week. She had been so excited to do this, especially because two of her friends from our neighborhood who are in her class ride it also. All the children were seated and buckled in first, then the moms who were there were given a place to sit. I wasn't right next to Gwen, and although she was between her two friends, my distance (I was right in front of her) seemed to set her off. Suddenly the seatbelt was all wrong, she wanted to be on my lap, etc. Quickly her behavior turned into a tantrum, complete with screaming and kicking the seat in front of her. I tried in vain to talk softly and hold her hand to settle her for the 6 minute ride home. By the time we walked in our door, she was inconsolable and I was thoroughly embarassed. We dealt with the whole scene in the privacy of her bedroom, she perked up, had a snack, and all was well.
After dinner tonight she pretended to be Laoshi Sharon. She motioned for Madelyn and I to sit crosslegged, with our hands on our knees, while she opened a book to read to us. She held it up to show us the pictures, and began "reading" in complete nonsense words. I guess that's how storytime in Chinese sounds to her so far! However, she has been able to sing some Chinese songs this week, and repeat phrases in Chinese that Seth understood and she seemed to know the general meaning of.
Tonight at bedtime she was thanking Jesus for her school, and asking when she could go again. Sigh. It seems that school may be an emotional rollercoaster for both of us, at least for a little while!
3 comments:
The whole after school thing is nothing new - just new to Gwen...I would bring her a light snack - like a mini bag of plain cheerios or something simple that either she can wakl and eat or ride in the car and not make a mess...most of the time - K is tired and hungry when this happend - now I keep little bags of cheerios in the car...and before it comes on - off them up...I also carry bottled water (little bottles)...
She has had a BIG week - no down time - I remember the first week of my job - I was exhaused - as my mind was going nonstop!
Oh, I would also talk to her teacher to come over and ingage her when you get to class - ie - Hi Gwen look what we are doing today...give hugs/kisses - see you this afternoons and out of there - when K was new at school if she had to physically make the decision to walk away fm me - this was harder than when the teacher came over...and chatted her up - worked like a charm...
She has great art too!
I have the same thing in our laundryroom - with all K's art - and have taken pics of it as well - one day I want to make a little book - just silly stuff to look back at when she is grownup..
Hope all else is well!
hugs fm us!
Carol, thanks so much for your ideas and encouragement. I really feel like this school is wonderful and it is the right thing for Gwen to be doing right now... but it's all new to me, too, and so I lack confidence in my decision, esp. when she acts negatively.
Thanks for sharing your ups and downs for this week. Don't feel alone or embarrassed. I also have seen my share of fits from little ones in preschool. The snack thing is a great idea, we did that often too. Sometime I would let them buy the snack at the store next to the school as a reward for the week. We also had a thing called tea talk when they got home. The girls also missed each other and we used the time to talk about our day, read an encouraging story, and have some tea. Your a great mother and you seemed to have handled it so well.
Lisa
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