The elementary school to which we are zoned has been a bit inconsistent over the past five years, and where to send Norah has been a really tough decision. There is a strong desire by many of us in the neighborhood to send our kids (with confidence) to our zoned school, but the inconsistency in leadership and sometimes questionable direction has given us doubts.
We, along with several other families, decided to go for it. So far the new principal seems great and we lucked out by getting the really awesome pre-k teacher that I have been hearing people gush over since we moved into the neighborhood. Plus Norah is in class with the two other little girls she already knows.
On the first day of school Caroline and Norah walked hand-in-hand to their room.
Then when they found Tracy they grabbed her hand and together the three of them entered their classroom. So big!
Norah did not cry when Seth left. In fact, she seemed pretty okay with it. I am confident the situation would have been entirely different if she wasn't there with Caroline and Tracy. It also helped that Caroline and Norah spent the week and a half leading up to school together when we shared child care between the last day of the previous school and the first day of the new school.
Once they reached the classroom the eager beavers found seats together.
So the teacher situation and generally the hours between 8 and 3:30 feel positive to all of us.
The before and after school care, however, is taking a bit longer for Seth and me to fully embrace.
Norah is part of the YMCA program, which is available both before and after school. I really do think it is simply a matter of gaining trust in the program. I have heard positive things about it in general from both experienced parents and Norah's teacher. It also helps that since the first day, when Norah seemed to be the youngest one by far, 4 kids (2 sets of twins) from her class have joined the program. By the end of the week we are feeling much better about it. Plus, I should mention that Norah has seemed completely fine with the entire situation and has not once complained or said anything negative about any part of her new situation.
Overall I would say that while Seth and I were feeling a bit uneasy the first several days of the week, we have had a pretty good transition so far from "private" daycare to "public" school and extended care. Next week will be focused on settling into a new routine that includes getting Seth and I to work a bit earlier.
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