Great Weekend in PA

Well it was another great weekend in PA. The boys had a great time playing. Nicholas' personality is really starting to come through. He's becoming more of a snuggler and a goof ball sometimes. That is when his teeth aren't bothering him.

Nathan was doing OK at drop off last week and now this week he's back to crying again. I think he just doesn't like the new ratio. I think that's the thing that's throwing him more about this transition than any other. He's just not used to so many kids in one space as well as so few teachers (2 teachers:20 kids). This morning his teacher stopped me (now this is the teacher who until very recently had been a kindergartner teacher) and asked me how he was doing. I said he's doing ok... he just is having a hard time with the ratio and the new expectations and responsibilities. It just takes more getting used to than in previous transitions. And she said yeah, he's really young. (He's actually right in the middle of the age group that just transitioned). She went on to say, they are all really young and they are all having a tough time(about 7 of them out of 20). She said do you think he would be more comfortable in the old environment. I'm not sure if she was suggesting that we move him back to prep or what. I told her that he would get used to it over time. She asked me what he says at home... I said he tells me he doesn't do anything all day. If I ask specific questions then he will answer me, but a general what did you do and he doesn't tell me anything. So unless I know what they did that day I can't ask him about his day. She says well he talks here in school... and i told her I understand that. But he does not open up to me at home. Somehow I think that he thinks, if he tells me what a good time at school he had, then I will send him there more than I do already.

I think it's a big transition for her as well going from 5 year olds to 3 year olds and trying to teach the same concepts but at a lower level. I think she just needs to get used to 3 year olds and what their emotional needs are. Every year they learn and change so much that a 2 year difference in age is HUGE right now. So we are all transitioning at the same time. i kind of noticed that with Nathan's previous teachers as well. His was the first class where the teachers had come from a preschool (3-5 yrs ) room and down to the prep room (2-3 yrs). At first they seemed really frustrated with the kids but after 6 months or so I think they changed their interaction style and things became a little easier. Same thing is happening with Nicholas' primary teacher. This is her first year with infants coming from prep before. I think she (like we all do) gets frustrated because the kids can't tell you what's wrong and just cry at you and want to be held. I'm not saying she's not a good teacher.... I just think it's hard on her. I notice it with myself. Nicholas gets a lot less babying than Nathan did at the same age. I just don't have the patience in myself to baby him as much as I did Nathan. That's why Nathan slept through the night reliably around 13 months and Nicholas did so at 3 months. It's not a bad thing... it's just tough to go back and forth through the different ages. Good thing I'm not a teacher and have to go back to the beginning of an age group every year. :)