Tobey: 5-day preschool

Our friend Z, among others, tried to warn us when we said we were going to start Tobey out with 2 day preschool. She said everyone she knew who started out with just 2 days eventually moved to the 3 or 5 day schedule before the first year was over. (In Tobey's school, his class is not a dedicated 2 day class; there are 2, 3, and 5 day kids all in the same half day class.) But Tobey has never had a big problem with transition and I had this "thing" about diving in too fast with preschool from being full-time at home. So I thought, how bad could 2 day preschool be?

We found out over the course of the year. Tobey's teachers would mention at our parent conferences he does/n't do blah blah blah in class "probably because he's only in class 2 days a week". The comments usually referred to his lack of Chinese understanding but I can live with the fact that he is not fluent in Chinese -- it was never my goal at Yew Chung anyway. But his final progress report of the year mentioned several times his engaging or choosing inappropriate activities like screaming, jumping and running. They mentioned how he needs a few reminders to do what he is asked and sometimes when a teacher asks him to do something, he does the exact opposite. It was disappointing and embarassing. It's not something you want to see on a progress report, especially in preschool when our only expectation was that he socializes well and gets the hang of going to school.

The teachers said that some of his behavior in class might be that he is unfamiliar with some kids in class and that he might not understand everything going on *because he only is in class for 2 days*. It FINALLY hit me that it's time to change. Actually, I did look into changing to 3 days at the semester but there was already a waiting list of existing 2 day kids wanting to bump up to 3 and no one I knew on the list ever got in all semester. But with just a summer left to try to improve on things, I got desperate and weaseled Tobey's way into a 5 day schedule. Tobey started this week.

Apparently, I underestimated the benefit of the consistent schedule. I finally realized that just because Tobey never cried from the very first day of preschool, didn't mean that he was that comfortable with the schedule. I thought he was indirectly learning about the rhythm of the week and learning that Tuesday and Thursday are school days, etc. And he never really complained. I mean, sure sometimes it was hard to get him to school, but doesn't every kid do that?

But this week, he has been perfectly happy to go to school. We've arrived there by 8:35 twice this week (meaning, we didn't have as many morning battles getting him to school) and we would have been there early today too if Eli didn't have his first potty experience this morning. Tobey responds hi to teachers and students without me having to nudge him, he just overall seems more happy getting to and from school. He even started saying "yi ge" (one) for things, meaning he is even getting more comfortable with Chinese (I think a lot has to do with Tan Laoshi, much warmer than Gu Laoshi in my opinion).

Today when I was the (almost) last parent to pick up their child from school, I asked an available Ms. Crystal how she thinks the everyday schedule (all 3 days of it so far) was working out. She said it seems to be working well, that Tobey seems to understand the routine a little better. And that he sat very well today [in circle time?]. You see, that is perplexing to me. He has done this now for close to a year. How is it that he doesn't "get" the routine until he goes to school 3 days in a row? I don't fully understand the magic of 5 day preschool over 2 (I think Tobey thinks he's a big boy because previously he thought he wouldn't go everyday until he was 4 years old), but now at least I know a little more about recognizing the signs when it comes Eli's turn.

And I'm glad we're ironing out these kinks now so that when Tobey starts Pre-K, he'll be roaring to go.