EJ started his nursery or playgroup at 2 years 8 months old and he has started pre nursery aka Nursery 1 in early January this year. And here's his experience going to school. Btw, he's going to 2 hourly playgroup, Monday to Friday, 9-11am
P/s: I won't be revealing here which school he's going for privacy reason, no uniform picture too ~ mama is a little paranoid hearing stories about the consequences revealing too much info on social media :p
1st month/January 2016
Week 1:
The first one week, EJ's nursery allowed one parent to accompany his/her child. Not too bad! The first day, EJ was so excited! He woke up early and asked our helper to change him. He was really happy and he thought he was going to play! So we reached school for his first day, he played, he participated, he danced, he clapped his hands, he made LOTS of noises, he jumped around the class, he participated in artwork and did well. He also listened to simple instruction pretty well. Like when teacher asked him to sit down, he sat without hesitation! I thought, Mmm.. Not bad, good beginning!
But I was wrong hahaa...
The following day, he was still excited going to school, asked to get changed and happily going to school ~ perhaps because mommy was still with him! BUT, the second day onwards, he was a bit lazy & clingy in the class, he would just stick to me and sat on my lap in almost every class activity including playing toys with friends (he would prefer mommy stay beside him and play), he was sitting down instead of standing up to participate in morning exercise, etc. he wasn't feeling that excited in the class although he didn't cry or throw temper. He was bored I guess! I was a bit worried about him not wanting to participate in his first week at nursery but I was wrong again!
Week 2:
Week 2 is a little heart wrenching week because that's the week, parents had to leave their children ~ no more accompanying kids to the class. As I expected, EJ cried a big time ~ crying & screaming, throwing temper & refusing to enter his class. According to his teacher, it's really normal for kids this young to behave this way. It would take 2-4 weeks for them to settle down & what we can do as parents is to let it go, let them cry & scream and eventually they will settle in. The more worried we are, the longer time those little kids would take to settle in. So yeah, I listened to teacher's advice, although my heart was breaking seeing him cry so much, I had to let him go! Teacher had to force-carry him to the class together with other crying kids. Most of them were crying BADLY in the second week!
I waited outside the class for 2 hours ~ just in case teacher would call me in.
The first day of second week was a heartbreaking day with lots of crying & tears but guess what? The third day onwards, although most of the children were still crying when they were about to enter their class but they did settle down after half an hour to one hour of non stop crying. I heard less crying after the first one hour. And lesser & lesser crying from one day to another day. By end of second week, I heard no crying at all 10 minutes after all kids entered their class. Teacher was right, it took 2 weeks for those little kids to adjust into their new nursery with new friends & teachers :)
Overall, EJ was fine inside the class, according to his teacher. He did well, he participated well & he didn't fight with other kids ~ something I should be proud of him :) but most of the days, he would cry and throw temper in the morning, refusing to enter his class ~ crying & rolling on the floor outside his class and I had to force him! He would sob & sob waving good bye to me but didn't struggle when teacher checked on him (temperature, hands, mouth for hands, foot, mouth disease) and he was okay & playing with toys when he was inside the class. Separation anxiety at the beginning I believe!
Week 3 & 4:
EJ was getting better and better. Once a while, he would refuse to go inside his class and would cry requesting me to carry him in but he was pretty much settling in well in the new nursery environment!
2nd month/February 2016
He's no longer crying going to nursery and he's pretty much getting excited to meet & play with his friends. Every morning, he is waving "bye-bye" to grandma, auntie (our helper) and his little sister excitedly . As much as he's getting "too comfortable" with his new environment, he's misbehaving at times too and teacher has complained to me that EJ:
1) screamed & talked loudly
2) pushed his friends (I asked him why did he do that and he answered me a long "noooo, play play...") so he thought he was just playing, not intentionally pushing his friends but he's the biggest toddler in his class, so a gentle push could potentially cause injury to his little friends
3) scattered & threw toys. I didn't know why and he didn't give me a reason either.
After being too comfortable in the class and created troubles, we kept talking to him what can and what can't do in the class and he was always better in the class the next morning but a toddler under 3 is still a toddler after all. He often forgets and repeats the naughty things again. EJ oh EJ!
I can tell he's improving so much better in terms of communication and vocabulary and he talks more now! He's progressing well and I couldn't be more proud of him :) my boy has grown up so much!
p/s: he even has 1 secret admirer at nursery telling me EJ is her boyfriend and he's handsome! hahaha
artworks he did at nursery!
EJ at 2 years 9 months old
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