Graham started going to Harrison's preschool two mornings a week. He started on the 19th, so we have two weeks (four sessions) under our belt. It has been a bit of a rough start, but it is improving. I thought it would be good for Graham to go this term because it is Harrison's last term at this school and they would be together for this term. Graham is obviously very familiar with the school and the teachers/kids because he goes with me to drop off and pickup Harrison. We also spent four sessions prior to his start on the 19th where I took him to school and stayed so he would get even more comfortable. He definitely acted ready and excited and leading up to his first day on the 19th he knew he was starting without mommy staying and acted very excited. Well, he had me fooled. That all changed as we were walking into the school on the morning of the 19th and he started saying (in a nervous, laughing voice) that he wanted to stay/go with me in the car. And the tears started fast and furious when I said goodbye. I was called back around 11am that first morning because after settling down for awhile and getting along fine he had been getting really upset for the last half hour. Then, when I dropped him off on his second day that week, I again tried a quick goodbye but as I gave him a kiss while he was sitting on one of the teachers laps, he proceeded to throw up on himself and her. I was mortified, but the teachers were very nice and understanding about it. He has never made himself sick from crying. So I cleaned him up, changed his clothes and stayed with him for awhile. He was doing fine and playing and doing art projects so I left, but they called me again around 11:30am to come back because he was again getting really upset. Ugh. The second week I stayed for the first 20 minutes for welcome/circle time for each of the days and then I left. They said he was still getting upset off and on but he did stay both days until pickup time so he is getting better with less crying (and no more throwing up thankfully).
I really thought Graham was going to be better than Harrison (who cried every time I dropped him off for almost 6 weeks when he first started at this school) because he is more independent and confident than Harrison in many aspects. But I never had to go back for Harrison. Graham is proving to be more of a momma's boy in many aspects, which I didn't think was possible after Harrison. But, I guess you never can tell. When you ask Graham about school he says he likes it and he loves to talk about it, he just doesn't like to say goodbye and be away from his momma (can we really blame him :)).
I know there's hope because he is getting better and Harrison absolutely loves this school. He has really grown so much and become so much more confident. He has started doing the lunch club two days a week which is staying an additional hour to eat a packed lunch with the other kids who participate. And when I picked him up one day from lunch club he wanted to know why some of the kids were staying. I explained that on tues and wed the school has an afternoon session that some of the kids go to as well. He was "appalled" that he wasn't staying for the afternoon session and insisted that he wanted to do an afternoon session. So now he goes all day on wed and he just loves it. I would have never guessed this was the same kid who cried each morning at home before school, on the way to school and as I said goodbye at school for those six weeks.
Here are a few pictures from Graham's first day of school:
Heading out with the monkey backpack
Does this look like the face of a kid who would eventually throw up on his teacher?
"Cool cat" big brother (notice collar up) ready to show him the ropes!
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