Comments on: Prep School

By: Carrie

Carrie — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:36:59 +0000

I’m going to be totally honest and tell you to prepare yourself for them to be sick more often. But, as my pediatrician says, that is a good thing because better to miss a few days of playschool now than when they are in kindergarten.

I’m curious though. Are they in a program that is multiple hours every day? I have 5 month old twins and a 2 1/2 year old and my toddler goes to day school two days a week from 9-1. That seems to be a gracious plenty for both her and me. When she’s in the 3′s class next year we can add a third day if we so choose. She will definitely not go to school all day for 5 days until she is in kindergarten.

Perhaps you can send them just a few days a week at first to see how they (and you) like it and then decide whether you want to take advantage of all of the days they offer. Good luck and I’m sure your mom instincts won’t lead you down the wrong path.

By: poupee97

poupee97 — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:12:19 +0000

I can completely relate to this. I also found it tough, though perhaps not quite as tough, to send my twin girls off to playschool a couple of months ago, just after they turned two. I also felt the anxiety of whether it was the right place, the right time, the right thing to do, along with the guilty relief at have a couple of hours to myself. All I can say, a few months down the line is, the girls love their playschool, and I love the precious couple of hours of freedom.

I’m sure it will all work out and your complicated feelings will resolve themselves as they kids settle down at school.

By: AKLizzy

AKLizzy — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:13:23 +0000

Tracey – your roller coaster of emotions just means that you love your boys more than you thought humanly possible and that you are a terrific mom!! (Carrie has told me in person, but it also comes across beautifully in your posts.)

It is tough to make the switch from home to the bigger world; for everyone!

The first weeks for our day-care transition, my husband was gracious enough to do the drop-off. I could be the one to receive the hugs and kisses in the afternoons.

To ward of at least some of the foreign germs, I suggest a change of t-shirt when you get home. Yes…it does make the laundry mountain grow (not that we need that!), but I’ve found it helps a little.

I’ll be thinking of you and your boys on Monday as I head back to school myself after a lovely and restful Christmas vacation.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 23:05:42 +0000

What a great overview of so many aspects of very important life change for you and the boys. Thanks for taking the time to share, I’ll be calling on you next year to talk me through it when our turn comes!

By: LauraC

LauraC — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:33:11 +0000

I don’t think anything prepares you for that very first time you leave them at school. I am not generally an overly emotionally person and I was a wreck, crying the entire first morning they were gone, wondering if they were going to be happy and if I made the right choice.

Now after two years in group care, I know we made the right choice for our family and I love that they have another family, another set of friends, and lots of love in their life. But still those first few days, I spilled a lot of tears.

(I can’t even tell you how chaotic pickup is in the olders 2s room where EVERYONE can talk and they all want to talk to you and say hi and see what you’re wearing and touch you. I’ve switched to drop offs lately bc I needed a break from the insanity.)