Alex made his first biscuits this week - at his own request. Delicious!So Alex started pre-school playgroup on Monday. He is going to go just one morning a week to start with and then maybe two when he is more settled. I stayed with him all morning but kept hidden in the corner so he got involved with everyone else. He was very quiet at first but soon started to join in and enjoy himself. I know he likes socialising with lots of other kids so I think he will be fine. As he only came over once to say hello and didn't seem to miss me at all I am going to try coming home and leaving him next week. It was an emotional experience though. I don't know if it's the pregnancy hormones or mummy love but I was almost in tears on several occasions. I was very close to not enrolling him at all but now that our other playgroup has finished I thought it was important for him to find another one to join. I do think socialising kids is good as they learn so many life lessons (hopefully the nice ones like sharing) - I am just less keen on the leaving him. Although that's more about me than him. And the playgroup is nice - they try and teach them to sit still when told and wash their hands before eating and to play nicely etc.
I still think that 4 is far to young to start school though. Alex will only just have turned 4 as he is a summer baby. Some areas dont start till January for the summer babies and some do part time hours only for the younger kids. I am tempted to start him after he turns 5 as this is the legal requirement but it depends if he has friends going at the same time or not. And I still hanker after the idea of homeschooling. I am going to do much more research about it first. I think since we live near to Cambridge there will be a good homeschooling community there. It just depends if I can persuade Chris and we can afford me not to go back to work.
***Edited to add: Well this week (28 Jan) I left Alex on his own for the first time in his life with someone other than his grandparents or father. And he was fine. He ran into school and got stuck in straight away and he was fine according to the teachers/playgroup leaders (not sure what to call them!). It might all change of course - he might decide he doesn't like it or he might get more clingy in other situations but at the moment he seems fine. To me it seems like a huge development as he still seems so young. But I do think learning to play in a group and socialise is very important and the stimulation he gets is excellent so it's worth me getting all teary about it! ***
2 comments:
I always remember a friend of mine with slightly older kids reassuring me when my eldest headed off across the carpet to climb up the legs of another woman only days after she'd learned to crawl 'Don't be upset' she said, 'it shows she's confident that you're here in the background for her when she wants you to go off and do that' It's a tough old thing but you do have to let them find their little wings which get bigger at every stage - if you're in bits now wait til he goes to secondary school - I'm dreading DD1 heading off to uni in two or three years time GULP!!!
I so agree...4 is too young...I went to the Bidolph (I think that how you spell it)seminar 'raising boys' and he explaines why 4 is just to young for boys...it was very interesting...Socialing with other children I think is so important but also staying at home and being next to mom is too, its just getting the balance, being the Mom that you are I know you will get the balance right...
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