Last Week at Daycare

This is Ivan's last week at daycare.

I double checked Maryland's Parents' Guidebook. It explained in detail what they mean about a kid being potty trained. The child needs to be able to wipe himself. Ivan doesn't know how.

At bathtime, I brought up the issue of daycare.
He's been excited that he'll go to "big boy school," as we've been prepring him all summer.
This is Ivan's last week at daycare, and the gut wrenching feeling remains.
Now, there’s another thing that I’m concerned about: I double-checked Maryland's Parents' Guidebook. It explained in detail what they mean about a child being potty trained. In addition to knowing when and how to use the potty, a child needs to be completely self-sufficient in the bathroom, including being able to wipe himself. Ivan doesn't know how to do that. We haven’t practiced that skill yet. Surprisingly enough, that’s harder to master than one would think. So we had put that on the back burner for a while, focusing instead on the actual potty part and clothes handling (which is another skill that’s more difficult to master than one would think.)
At bath-time, I brought up the issue of daycare. Ivan's been excited that he'll go to the "big boy school," as we've been prepping him all summer.
I told him that this week we'll have a goodbye party at daycare. He perked up at the thought of a party.
“We'll need to say goodbye to Ms Rosa, Ms. Norma and all his friends,” I said.
Then I asked again, who he likes to play with at daycare. He didn’t answer me. He never does, when I ask that question.
I continued explaining that how for the big boy school, he'll need to know how to wipe himself and that we'll need to practice this week. He didn’t acknowledge that.
He asked, however, whether I'll take him to the big boy school. “Yes,” I said.
After a short silence he asked for milk, while he was sitting in the bathtub. Milk, for Ivan, is really a synonym for being scared and wanting comfort. It was the first time I saw him acknowledge this change and being aware that something is about to happen.
Once he was tucked in bed and we turned off the light, I said that Medic can come to preschool as well, if he wants him to. He nodded yes.
Last Friday at daycare, they had the school picnic. There was music (radio), food, a moon bounce, water play, etc…. Even though Ivan doesn’t attend daycare on Fridays, I made sure we went. We went early and stayed for the entire event (until it winded down at 2)
He had a blast. He paid attention to me and made sure I was there, but otherwise, he ran everywhere to play to do all the activities, including the moon bounce. He loved being inside and jumping around with other kids. (However, he didn’t want to climb up and go down the rather steep moon bounce slide, like some other kids who were inside. The slide did look really steep and not fun. Yes, my baby is more cautious, less daredevil-ly and more scared than some other kids, like Alexandra, who although she looks so prim, proper and girly, is a little tomboy who yelled at Ivan to get out of the way, if he wasn’t going to climb up the slide.)
He only came back to me when he was tired and wanted to go home.
All in all, what a difference from last year, when at the same event, he spent the entire time sitting in my lap, unwilling to budge without me. He wouldn’t go near the moon bounce.
He seems so comfortable, happy and at ease here. My ambivalence of pulling him out of daycare hit me with the vengeance. I feel awful knowing that soon all this would end, and he’ll start a new school, a bigger school, surrounded with strangers where he’ll have to start from scratch.
I told Ms. Rosa that he's leaving. She was said. She told me again, as she had on several other occasions, that he’s such a good boy, that he’s such a pleasure to have in her classroom, and that they’ll really miss him.
I wanted to cry.
I asked Creighton's mom about his transition to the big boy school he was just transitioned into a few weeks ago (Creighton was at the party). She said the transition was difficult.
Emma's mom said the same thing. Emma keeps asking about her friends, although she transitioned in June.
Both of these kids are much more extroverted, bolder kids than Ivan is.
I wonder what next week will be like.

I told him that this week we'll ahve a goodbye party at daycare. He perked up at the thought of a party.
I said we'll need to saygoodbye to Ms Rosa, Norma and all his friends.

I asked again, who he likes to play with at daycare, but he didn't answer.

FOr new big boy school, he'll need to know how to wipe himself, that we'll need to practice this week....
He asked whether I'll take him to big boy school. I said yes.
Then he said he wanted milk while he was in the bathtub. Milk is really his synonim for being scared and wanting comfort. It was the first time I saw him acknowledge this change and being aware that something is about to happen.
Once he was tucked in bed and we turned off teh light, I said that Medic can come to daycare as well, if he wants him to. He nodded yes.

Last Friday at daycare, they had a school picnic....moonbounce and all.

Last year, he sat in my lap all the time and wouldn't budge. This time he willingly went into the moon bounce, walked around, played....only came to me when he was tired and wanted to go home. What a difference.
I feel awful.

I told Ms. Rosa that he's leaving...

I asked Creighton's mom about his transition to the big boy school he was just transitioned into a few weeks ago (Creighton was at the party). SHe said the transition was difficult.

Emma's mom said the same thing. That she keeps asking abotuher friends, although she transitioned in June.

And both of those are much more extroverted, bolder kids than Ivan is.

I wonder what next week will be like.