Posts Tagged ‘changes’

Secret Recipe to Success: Puzzles and Cupcakes (shhh….)

Friday, April 6th, 2012

From Friday Mom – Jaime:
It’s no secret that I was completely freaked out about Andrew’s first day at his new daycare. Freaked out might just be an understatement, but as it turns out – of course – I was worrying for nothing.

Sunday night, Andrew looked at me and asked if he was going to his new school in the morning. When I said yes, he was quiet for a moment before nodding and saying, “Mommy… I ready.” He was smiled broadly and then shyly asked whether we could stay with him for a few minutes in the morning before going off to work. He also begged to be able to bring in cupcakes for all his new friends.

So we stopped and picked up mini cupcakes. WITH sprinkles. (Apparently this was very important). And, while it made Andrew very happy, I figured it probably made a terrible introduction for us. “Hey. We’re the new guys. Let’s get all the kids tanked up on sugar as we run out the door so YOU have to deal with the resulting sugar high…from 17 kids!”

Actually, we forgot them the first day… But Andrew did great without them. He got there, checked out the location of his new cubby for about 2 seconds before running off to the puzzles. He put two together with Hubby while I talked to his new teachers (one of whom I actually went to high school with – not that Andrew believed for a second that I knew her for over 20 years and that we used to play field hockey together).

Each day, he’d run into the classroom, thrilled to be there. We’d do a puzzle or two and then he’d say, “Okay. I fine. Go to work.” The cupcakes probably endeared him to a couple of the kids, who all stared at them in awe marveling at the fact that Andrew brought in cupcakes (WITH SPRINKLES). But he’s done great with the change.

He already has his coloring buddies. He loves the crazy girl in class, who just might be even wilder than he is. And, of course, he’s in good with the class troublemakers…

Today he and Hubby are going to head down to Great Adventure to the safari and ride some rides. I’m totally jealous since I’ll be working.

Have a great weekend everyone.

It’s About Time…

Friday, March 16th, 2012

From Friday Mom – Jaime:
We closed on our house on Thursday. FINALLY! But as I sit here at my computer typing this post, watching Hubby and Andrew play hockey in the house while Andrew screams the lyrics to Santa Claus is Coming to Town at the top of his lungs, it seems like nothing has changed.

The next few weeks will be a whirlwind of packing and getting the new house ready for our arrival. I still don’t think Andrew understands. He knows that we’re moving. That he’ll have a new room, a backyard to play in. That we’ll be closer to Nana.

What I don’t think has set in – no matter how many times we try to tell him – is that he’ll be leaving the daycare he’s been at since he was 4 months old. The teachers he loves, and who love him to pieces, won’t be at the new daycare come April 1. His friends, who swarm him the second he runs in the room and fall all over themselves to be with him, won’t be there either.

I’m not sure how to make him understand that one. And I’m dreading the first drop off in April when it finally hits him.

But, in the meantime, I’m going to enjoy the fact that he seems to LIKE packing, and that soon we won’t be spending an extra three hours a day in the car driving back and forth to work.

Have a great weekend everyone. It’s my turn to be the goalie!

Transitions

Friday, July 8th, 2011

From Friday Mom – Jaime:
I asked Andrew again what I should write about today. He told me “I love Miss Angela. I love Miss Katie. And I LOOOOOVE Miss Ellie.” (Those were his teachers at daycare)

Change isn’t always easy, at any age. But when you’re 3? It can be pretty rough.

Andrew has been in the same room at daycare for a year now. He crossed over from the Seahorse room to the Turtles with all his friends last summer. And most of them, having mastered potty training, moved along to the next classroom months ago.

Andrew, as I’ve said many times before, is the product of two stubborn litigators. He does things in his own time, and don’t even THINK about rushing him. So we were more than a little surprised when we got the letter from daycare that Andrew was being bumped up into the next classroom, finally becoming a Butterfly with all his friends.

“Don’t worry. He’s ready.” They told me after seeing the surprised look on my face.

This has been his first week in the new classroom. I’m not sure why they thought it would be a good idea to do it right after the long weekend. All the kids, regardless of whether they changed rooms or not, had trouble on Tuesday after spending so much time at home. Andrew gave me a few heart-wrenching pleas of “please mommy, don’t leave me” but ultimately was distracted with being able to use the computer in the classroom. (And, if I’m being honest, he would have said that even if he were back in his same classroom)

It went downhill from there as the week went on. We had the arms clinging desperately to my neck. We had full-on hysterics.

We’ve done this dance long enough that I know about a minute after I was out of eyesight, he was fine. I know the waterworks are a show for my benefit. It still doesn’t make it any easier for me to leave him as he’s sobbing, reaching for me and giving me the LOOK. (You know the one. The “I can’t believe you’re leaving me here with these people, mommy! I want to be with you!” look.)

But on the upside, after the hysterics subsided, he’s done great in the new room. Change may be a little scary, but he’s conquering this one well.

Have a great weekend everyone!