It’s school time for Arya - 2

Arya’s first day in the school. 

Arya was very excited to go to school, mainly because he wanted to wear the new dress, carry the new bag, wear socks and the new floaters! There was even a new lunch box!

I was concerned though. I had read so much about separation anxiety.
What if he couldn't open his lunch box? (I should have taught him to do it at home.) How would he eat?
Would he be able to find his new sipper and drink water from it? (This was the new non-spill sipper I had got for him to ensure the water doesn't spill in his bag.)
What if his diaper gets dirty and no one checks?
What if he doesn’t like the other kids? What if the kids hit him?

On the big day, we got him ready. He looked like a very seedha-sadha bachcha, a first bencher type. Yogesh and I carried him to the school. When we reached there, Arya saw so many kids cry while their parents went back from the gates. That was when he got the hang of the situation. He hadn't expected this. He cried when they took him inside, 'Aye mumma, aye mumma, tu ye tu ye'... (Mom you too come inside).  The whole building was full of screaming kids! We waited outside the building for about 5 mins and went back home.
When he came back, Arya was very happy and excited to see us. He was jumping around and talking a lot.

‘Sonu, kuthe gela hota’ (Where did you go?)

‘Kool madhe gela hota’ (I had gone to the school)

‘Kay kela school madhe?’ (What did you do in the school?)

‘Cycle khel-la’ (I played with the bike)

This continued for a few days. As long as I or Yogesh dropped him, he was happy to go. He even ate his dabba (pohe, upma, alu-paratha) and drank water. He told us every day that he played cycle in the school. There was no mention at all, of what the school teacher taught him that day. 

Within a few days we saw some progress, as he began to sing Alphabet song and some other rhymes in his usual style - missing a few words and combining some to form new ones! He sang the tune perfectly though. We still encourage him by singing along with him and clapping when he finishes a rhyme.

All was going well until there were changes in Yogesh's office time and my office hours increased. To top it off, Arya's regular class teacher changed too...

To be continued...

It’s school time for Arya - 1

(This is an article I wanted to write in July but have written and posted it now.)

Preface – Expect the unexpected.

I was in the middle of my busy work day when I got an SMS from Arya’s would-be play-school, and quite unexpectedly, I felt a slight twinge in my heart. What? So soon??!!!

I was aware that the school would send some communication to parents few days before it starts. The message was to inform parents about an orientation meeting and its date. Parents would get to know the teachers, get the allotted school bags for kids, have their kids measured for uniforms, etc.

I have spent most of the last month telling Arya - ‘Sonu, ata school aahe pudhcha mahinya pasun. Tu janal na?’ (He had no idea but replied.) ‘Haaa’

Yet I felt a little sad when I got the SMS. It was because now my baby who would stay home for the whole day playing around had grown up just a tiny bit. He would be leaving home for few hours and not be around us. I curtailed this emotion with thoughts like - it is just playschool, it is only for a few hours, and I didn’t even need to send him there every day!

I attended the orientation meeting with Arya, wondering how he would take it, cause he hadn’t been away from home without one of us around. When we entered the compound, we saw some bikes for kids. Arya sat on a green one that was the most attractive. Since then I didn’t have to bother looking at him for the rest of my time there!

He didn’t come upstairs with me to the meeting. Other teachers kept an eye on kids playing in the compound. I was proved wrong. He didn’t mind being around other kids if there are enough bikes around. The meeting lasted for 1.5 hour and I was worried - What if he falls? What if someone pushes him? What if he wants me and couldn’t find me? I came down to see Arya happily playing on the same bike! He didn’t even want us to go back home… I had to drag him out!

 

To be continued…

Fast forward...Arya's artwork

Arya has begun to go to playschool. There were a lot of articles that I wanted to write before this one but didn't get time. I will write about Arya's experience in the school and his activities later.

Meanwhile, here are the masterpieces he created within 2-3 weeks after the school started.

The cut-outs are given by school.

The teddy on the left is a head-band with strips behind. It is colored with a green crayon.
The doll on the right is a wall hanging that was finger painted in red dots. Her hair is colored with brown crayon. (He colored it well without going out of the borders).

I had pinned these in my office cubicle for a day.

 

They made the kids tear paper too, which is fun!

 

This also looks like fun! Got these two papers in office to show around!