Kindergarten Orientation

We had kindergarten orientation this week. Did you hear me? My oldest kid starts kindergarten in the fall. Holy *&^)! As I sat in the room with all these other moms, many who looked like they too were novices of this public school game and many who were long time veterans, I just couldn't get over that I was sitting here. I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. Sure the days, weeks, months, years have passed and much of it was a blur, but how did we get to this moment. Will I feel the same at graduation in 13 years? Thirteen years?

Anyway, the orientation went well. I was a bit confused when they showed pictures of the teachers helping the kids to zip their jackets. Apparently this is a skill 5-year-olds usually learn in kindergarten. What? My three-year old can zip her jacket!

Oh, and don't forget the part where Alex wrote with a Crayola marker on the chalkboard. Uh huh...way to make a stellar first impression on the teacher! I guess someone had left the marker on the chalk tray and he thought that meant it was OK to color on the chalkboard. Perfect!

School at Home: Week 4

Last week was Food Week for Home at School. I was impressed by how much BOTH my kids learned. We checked out books on all the food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, fats, meats and milk.

Fortunately, it coincided with Alex starting a cooking class at a the Vienna Community Center. It's called a Fairy Tale feast where they read a story and then make the food. Love the idea!!!

We talked about all the different types of foods and how every food fits into at least one of the categories. Then we took to the Wednesday food ads. Both kids spent at least an hour cutting up food pictures from the circulars, and we pasted them in their corresponding food category. They really thought this was a worthy project. We talked quite a bit about the food pyramid and what foods we should eats lots of and what foods we had to limit. My kids keep coming back to my husband's book "150 Healthiest Foods on Earth." They like to go through this book and see what foods they like and which ones have a star (the super foods!)

Alex and I took a special trip to Whole Foods to see how even the store is organized by food groups--fruits and veggies, meat, grains, etc. Bonus for us was Emeril Lagasse was filming his Planet Green series at the Fairfax Whole Foods. This launched us into a whole other discussion about TV food shows. Which then led to coming home and watching a few on the computer. Alex wanted to know why people had to watch TV to learn how to cook. Good week. Good topic.

This week . . . Safety Week!

School at Home: Week 3

Even though it was spring break this past week, I felt it necessary to do continue with 'home at school' but with an Easter theme. Our week began with an Easter egg hunt with my DC area mom's group. I hadn't planned on going with our busy weekend, but the weather moved the hunt to a better day, and we made a last-minute decision to attend. We are SO glad we did.

I made sure to get over to the library and check out several books on Easter--one about Easter in Sweden (of course), one about an Easter egg tree, a few about bunnies, a few religious ones and even one about Passover (since my grandfather is Jewish and I wanted to give them the basics of a Seder meal.)

Thank God for the Enchanted Learning site which gave me a few worksheets, coloring pages and counting/math activities with Easter-related things included. We finished out the week by coloring eggs, decorating our own Easter tree and baking our traditional Easter bread. So all in all....another good week.

This week, we're moving on to food, nutrition and the food groups.

School at Home: Week 1

We completed our first week of what I'm calling "School at Home" with Alex. I can't bring myself to call it "homeschooling" so this feels better for me. I figured if I documented it all here then I have to actually follow through. Here was our week in summary:

It was Space Week. We started by checking out many, many books at the library on space and planets. We read all of them and talked about the planets and rockets. A few of the books I checked out were super easy ones that I thought he could read, and he did!

We worked on identifying "space words" like: space, rocket, planet, star, moon, etc. Alex asked to do an estimating project one day so I counted this as our math lesson for the day. We used star, moon and heart stickers and practiced estimating how many were in each bag. Anna played too.

Our big project was making a solar system. We spent most of the morning painting and putting it together. (See picture). Alex LOVED this. I was surprised in a matter of hours how quickly he'd learned the order of the planets and was ready to recite it to anyone.

We read about the first lunar landing and then watched some of a DVD from Netflix with footage. He couldn't believe that it was actually real and he was able to see it. Thursday we took a trip downtown to the Air and Space Museum and that was just a wonderful trip for us. I couldn't believe how much information he had retained during just three days.

The real kicker was I let him round out the week on Sunday by watching Star Wars--a movie he's been begging to watch once he turned five. I figured with his birthday on Saturday it was nice way to end the week and celebrate.

This week is Spring Week. So far so good! Lots of fun thigns planned.

Preschool Woes

My son came home yesterday and told me he was tired of preschool. Of course in the same breath, he said he was tired of going everyday to school (which he doesn't). He informed me he's been at that school for 100 days already and it was time for him to be in kindergarten. I explained that even if he felt he was ready for kindergarten, you had to be five to attend. (And in his case 5 1/2 since he has a March birthday.) And that kindergarten was, indeed, every day.

So he made me a deal. "If I go to preschool all next week, THEN will you let me go to kindergarten?" I'm not sure what's going on here, and I'm hoping to go into the class next week and take a look at what they are doing. But after much protesting from Alex--which is a first for him--I decided to let him take his first "mental health day" home from school. He didn't want to go and I figured I would give him a break. Well, actually I wanted to make him go, but my husband reassured me that he wasn't expected to enter the rat race at age four and missing a day of school wouldn't hurt.

School Starts: Girl Goes to School

My kids start school this week, and today was Anna's first day. Because of the days they go, she had to start before Alex. Can I just tell you there was a lot of "why does she get to go first?" conversation in this house lately. Alex goes tomorrow so a day is a HUGE difference in the life of a four-year old.

So this year started out much like last year. Except Anna plays the I-don't-want-you-to-leave-grab-my-leg card. I don't buy this anymore. She pretends she's shy so the teachers give her extra attention. Sweetie, I'm on to you.

After about two seconds of pretending she's so scared to be there, she darts to the dress up area and starts playing. Did she look back? No way. I feel so fortunate that it's always this easy. I did hear later from her about all the other kids who cried for their moms. My little gossip queen. For her, the big step up from the 2s class to the 3s is being able to do car line. She loved it, but soon have to learn it's not OK to dart out to the car.

While Anna was in her one hour of phase in, Alex and I used this rare time to have lunch together. How fun to take my boy out for lunch alone, without his sister. His response was "Mommy, it's fun to do things just with you sometimes. I love Anna, but sometimes I love just me and you. Can we share some ice cream?" Yes, ever the master negotiator.

School Starts, But Not For Us

So apparently the entire planet has started school by now, except for us. My kids start their "phase in" next week. Today we watched all the other kids get on the school bus. But the upside to no school for us is one more week of the playground, the pool, the gym, the stores without all the other kids around.

We did manage a trip up to school today to drop off lunch for the teachers' inservice meeting. Yes, I am THAT mom who "bribes" my kids' teachers. What can I say?

While my mom suggested I make this week super fun for my kids since it's our last week with both of them until Christmas vacation, my friend Amy said her mom insisted on making it the most boring week so the kids would be happy to go back. Well, my kids are already so excited to see their friends and new teachers that I think we'll just enjoy the empty playgrounds and pools for one more week.

Summertime Friends

I'm totally into summer mode now. I actually think I'm starting to love it. I do believe I was tainted by summer from living in Austin and then in Qatar. No place should be over 100 for more than a few days. Ugh.

Besides the pool, popsicles, and carefree days, the other thing that summer brings is new friends. Do you remember summertime friends when we were kids? The kids who didn't go to your school. The ones you met at camp. The ones you met at the pool everyday. The ones that you never wanted to 'be seen with' at school. The ones who were either too old or too young. Summer brings a whole new crop of people to get to know who are out of your normal routine and off your regular path.

You know what? It's the same when you're all grown up! I had no idea how the kids' school schedule limited us from certain friends in my circle. With kids in school three days a week at one school, I hardly get to see some of the ladies that I really enjoy spending time with. Some have kids with different nap schedules and some just have lots of kids to get out the door. Summer gives us the flexibility to see more people more often in different settings. They're the ones that live across town, who have new babies or older kids in school.

We're going to take full advantage of our changed routine to catch up and meet with some summertime friends--for both me and the kids.

And, yes, I know all too well that when fall comes again, we'll go back to our routine of school, and the summer friends may fade back into distance until the next summer.

The Last Day of School

So many asked what I ended up doing on the kids' last day of school.

1. Dropped off kids at 9:15
2. Drove to Herndon Farmer's Market and bought strawberries, snap peas, spinach, apples and basil plant.
3. Talk to my mother on the cell phone.
4. Went to a new nearby cafe (So Addictive Dessert Lounge) with free Wifi and worked for an hour. Great place, by the way.
5. Stopped off at Trader Joe's to pick up a few things.
6. Drove home and dropped off groceries.
7. Checked email again. :-)
8. Quickly made a picnic for the kids and myself.
9. Raced back to school 11:35 for Anna's good-bye cupcake party. Made there 5 minutes late and they were already sending them home 10 minutes early!!!!! Seriously.

That was it. Afterwards, we stopped at a park on the way home and had a celebratory end-of-school picnic. I managed to pass down my love for eating outside to my kids, even if my husband doesn't.

We spent the entire afternoon outside playing and the celebrating went into Friday when Anna's class met up for another playground picnic. Gotta love summer! Maybe this no-school thing won't be so bad after all. I may not be singing this tune next week.

Spring Break: Who Gets the Break?

OK, back in the day Spring Break was 'it.' The official beginning of Spring and the official beginning to the-almost-end of school. I can't admit to ever doing anything super fabulous over most spring breaks, although my parents did allow me a senior class trip to Europe one year and during college I did manage a trip to Galveston beach (in Texas). (That is nothing like the rockin' beach parties you see on MTV.)

So here we are. It's spring break. The weather is warming up a bit, the kids get to play outside, my husband is out of town, the kids are out of school--did I mention my husband's out of town?--and I am in SO need of a spring break. I have Easter errands to run and can't go to Target and a birthday party to get ready for.

Who gets the break here? So here's my plan. Next spring break, I'm going to enlist all the moms who want kids in school over the "break" and we'll teach the classes. This way the teachers get their break (because that's only fair), I get a break from my OWN kids--who make me batty when they don't have some structure during the day, my kids get to play with their friends, get tired, take a nap and then my afternoons are happier for all. Then we all rotate/co-op during the week so every mom gets one day to have a break. Ahhhhh.... it's almost like being at the beach.

I'm certainly open to other suggestions on this plan. It's a work in progress.

No Shoes Please at School

Many other cultures in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, remove their shoes before entering a home--their own or a friends. If you have ever lived in a location where the weather is rainy, snowy or sandy many days during the year, you'll understand why removing of shoes is a good habit to get into. There is nothing grosser than having excess dirt tracked in by your shoes. It makes cleaning a house easier and in general, if you have kids, you feel better about them being on the floor.

While many people in the States have slowly started adopting this practice, I can't understand why preschools have not! How gross that our kids go outside to play and then come in with their muddy or sandy shoes and then proceed to play on the floor. Eeewww....

I only recently realized this when Alex asked why they didn't take off their shoes at school. In Sweden, he was required to remove outside shoes right at the door of preschool and put on "house shoes" for inside the classroom.

I would love to see schools start adopting this routine as well. Not that a little dirt doesn't hurt, but just the thought of my kid sitting in circle time or rolling around on the dirty carpets at school kind of grosses me out.

Relief: We Are In

Both my kids received their forms from School C with our top choice granted. This will mean a few things for me:

1. Alex will go 4 days a week and Anna 3.
2. I will only have 2 days a week with NO kids.
3. I will still have to drive to school 5 days a week.
4. BUT, I will finally have one day alone with Alex. Poor Alex. Since Anna came along he rarely gets time alone with me.
5. They both will have one day to enjoy lunch bunch together, so that will give me four hours of no kids that day.

Yay!!!

The Preschool Lottery Begins

Today is the lottery for School C. I am a bit nervous. While we are a returning family, I still want to make sure this is all wrapped up so I can focus on other things--like planning a summer vaction. I can't believe I have to think about this stuff when there is snow falling outside.

So the preschool topic has been hot, hot, hot on the mommy message boards lately. What school? What kind of curriculum? Is Montessori better? How many days? How much money? Those who have not gone this path yet must think we have all truly gone mad. But when it's your turn you will see how it really is like college admission, minus the test scores and interviews. We plan, we strategize, we schmooze, we bribe (OK, I haven't tried this yet) and we lay awake at night wondering if we did the right thing.

In the past year and a half, I have checked out almost 10 preschools in our area. Here are a few things I have learned for part time preschool:

--Commute is a huge thing. If you are only dropping off a child for three hours, half an hour commute can eat into "mommy time."

--All schools are play based. I have yet to see one preschool that isn't play based, even the Montessori schools. Perhaps they are out there, but I haven't seen them. No one wants kids drilled in ABCs.

--Visit schools during non-open house hours as well. While open houses are good to see the teachers, students and other potential parents on their best behavior, make sure you visit during normal times as well.

--Snacktime is important. What a school feeds your child for snack is a window into their philosphy of overall care for a child. Goldfish and Teddy Grahams alone does not foster good nutrition for little ones. But fruit, veggies, crackers, pretzels make me feel better about the school in general.

--Parent involvement is a good thing. Parents provide a good checks/balances system for teachers and the director.

--School shouldn't be too dirty or too clean. You don't want to smell pee in the school, but if you don't see any dirt or toys out of place, that also is unsettling.

--Mixing of ages is not always a bad thing. People these days seem to think young kids mixing with the older ones is pressure on their own kid to do certain things. It's great if little ones learn from the older ones and the older ones can learn to respect the little ones. If the classes tend to mix ages during the day, that is a definite plus, I think.

And that's it. Good luck and feel free to share more things you've learned through this process.

Preschool Admission: Denied by School M

We were denied a spot. They had too many applications and while we were asked if Alex would like the 3 days slot, that would mean not ONLY would I have to drive to the school 5 days, but neither kid would be at school at the same time. So, now we're only left with School C.

Journey to Preschool Admission: School T--Part 6

I made a visit to School T today. Before I even drove into the parking lot, I decided this was the final school to look out this year. I have grown weary of this process.

Basically because what I surmised, was indeed true. All the schools were the basically the same. The emphasis is on play. The teachers who were there, all wanted to be there and you could tell. The facilities were all nice--some had big classrooms and others had small ones.

While I decided not to go with School T since I'd already turned application fees into School C and School M, I thought it was only fair to take a look around for future reference.

This was an outstanding school! The classrooms were a good size and very bright and cheery. The teachers were very engaged even before we entered the classrooms. The coolest thing about this one is their open session during mid-morning. Students have an hour to move through several rooms focusing on art, music, math, science, play, etc. Each room has a teacher facilitating, leading or monitoring the project/activities. What I loved about this idea is that students had a chance to visit with other teachers and other students during the day. It gave the three-year olds the opportunity to mix with the fours and the fours a chance to be an example to the threes.

Unfortunately, the days don't match up with what I need, and, like I said, I now have more $200 invested in registration fees. So, while I am going to pass on School T, I would highly recommend it to other parents based on what I saw.

Summary to follow soon.

Journey to Preschool Admission: School M--Part 5

I attended the open house for School M. This was a tough decision for me. It's a Catholic preschool/kindergarten that filters into a Catholic elementary and middle school. At first glance the facility didn't seem much beyond the other schools. I talked to the teachers about the curriculum and certain needs I thought my son would need. What I loved was the flow of the four classrooms. The 3s room had a door that flowed into the 4s and the 4s into the kindergarten class. They said there would be some mixing of the classes at time. The classrooms were clean and new looking, but not so stiff as other schools. The classrooms were large with their own bathrooms and sinks for each room. And bonus, each class had several computers.

Now if you're not religious, than the religious aspect might get you. The kids are buddied with a 4th grader each month for mass attendance. Hey, if I can get my kids to sit through mass, bonus for me!

The price was actually in our price range as well.

The only downside are the days. I was set on having Alex go only four days a week and Anna going three. This would ensure I had three mornings to write and do errands. (I do have this book to write, you know.) But with this program, Alex would go five days and Anna only two. So I have mixed feelings on that one. I am being selfish and wanting him home the one day so we can do stuff together before he starts kindergarten the following year.

So the final verdict for today is my application for both kids is completed and deposit check is ready to go. The principal makes the selection at the end of the week.

Journey to Preschool Admission: School L--Part 4

I considered turning in an application at School L for the THIRD year in a row. But I am so put off by the attitude of their waitlist and lottery system that I decided not to even bother this year.

Since returning students and alumni have priority, as they should and as most schools do, our chances of getting a slot for both kids are slim. Last year, all the slots were filled with returning kids and they lotteried for the wait list order! My kids were numbers 12 and 19 on the waitlists.

If one kid gets in and the other doesn't, I lose the application fees. I need both kids in the same school in order for this whole preschool thing to work. The open slots they do have are probably the most sought after in town. But once you're in....you're in.

While I hear wonderful things about the school and really like the facility, I'm not sure it's worth all the fuss and clamoring to get in. So that's a no from me on School L.

Journey to Preschool Admission: School B--Part 3

This week I made three phone calls and one school visit. I went to check out "School B." School B has been intriguing to me since we moved here in 2006. It's a private Montessori school. I know two people who currently have children in the school. One is very happy with it, the other is not. I thought I should go check it out.

School B exceeded all my expectations at first glance. Everything was new and pristine--not to mention crazy organized. I wish my house was that organized. They staff was so agreeable. In fact, almost a bit too much. I felt a little like I was in Stepford. Nothing can be THAT perfect. I took the tour with my youngest beside me who seemed to fit right in with their culture. I observed a few classrooms, however, the first seemed a bit chaotic. I have seen Montessori schools before so I knew what to expect. This class seemed out of control. Kids were everywhere and the teachers seemed to be nonexistent in the setting. I loved what the kids were working on though and the academics of it pleased me.

After talking to my friend about it later--the one who is not happy with it--I found out a few major things regarding both the teachers and the administration that didn't not please me. In addition, the price tag attached to it, was well beyond our budget.

I believe we'll pass on School B.

The Journey to Preschool Admission: Schools--Part 2

To fully understand the preschool admission journey you must know the players in this game. Here is a list of the schools we have considered (none are mentioned by name as I'm not willing to be on their hit lists):

School C: Current school where both my kids are attending. Generally pleased with the school, but want to make sure Pre-K curriculum is appropriate for Alex. Anna loves to be just about everywhere so she's just along for the ride.

School B: Private, Montessori school. High tuition, mixed reputation.

School F: A school Alex attended last year.

School L: A school where both my kids have been on the waitlist for two years now. Like the school OK. Think their attitude about admission is a bit over the top.

School M: Private, Catholic School. Open house in a week.

School T: Private, church school with a good reputation. Tour of school next week.

School U: Private, church preschool with a good reputation. May decide to attend open house. We'll see.

The Journey to Preschool Admission: Part 1

I thought I should share this ridiculous journey on selecting preschools for my two children (almost 4 and 2 1/2) so you can really understand how crazy this all is.

SET SCENE: Both kids are currently enrolled in preschool. It is a well-known school and pretty well-regarded as far as private preschools go. (We'll call it School C.) However, there have been a few things about the school that didn't thrill us to pieces. While I understand we can't have it all, my husband did want me to investigate other options. So here it is.

SITUATION: Enrollment for most schools is imminent. Yes, that's right deadlines for September enrollment are in February. Don't even get my started on that one. With School C, I have another 2 weeks to get in my application and fees. My chances of getting in are pretty good since my kids are given priority as returning students. There is even a good chance they will get in on the same days. That is a bonus right there.

However, I'm trying to look at my kids' learning styles and match it with the right school. More to come on the schools I visit . . .Stay tuned for the list of schools.