Kindergarten Life

School started back August 19th and we are settling into our new daily routine. Timo and Cameron are now in full-day classes, the previous summer session were just half days for kindergarten.  In addition to going a full day, they have Chinese class after school, but I'll get to that later.

The first full day I had a little surprise out for the children, just little baskets of goodies and school supplies...

A few days we have walked but typically we ride our scooters the block and half to school, joining all the other kids from the neighborhood making their way.  It's amazing to see how many children live in our neighborhood that I never knew!  I got a bike lock and we lock up our scooters and head out to the "yard" for line up.  Timo was excited this day because I let him wear all his camouflage to school...he thinks we can't see him!

In the "yard", the playground area, the children line up and either head over for assembly (Mondays and Fridays) or head to their class.  I love assembly days.  They have school announcements, give out Wolfpack Pride prizes (students named by their teachers that go above and beyond expectations), do a few school cheers and do the Pledge of Allegiance.

Timo and Cameron were put in different classes for the short two week orientation over the summer but we were given the option of moving them to same class for the full school year.  After much thought and observation, we decided to keep them in separate classes.  Even thought they are great at making their own friends, there is a certain amount of attachment on Cameron's part that I think keeps her from going out of her comfort zone.  She also gives me a play by play of Timo's day...good and bad parts, some I'm sure he didn't want me to know.  I also noticed how well they played together once they got home from school...so excited to see each other and share their experiences.  So in order to give Timo a little more space, Cameron the opportunity to find her own wings and to grow their bond, we decided to keep them in their own classes.  It seems to be working out well for them...the problem now is with me.  It's so hard to say goodbye to two kids at two different locations and be a chaperon on field trips for two classes and touch base with two different teachers.  But we are finding our way and making it work. They give hugs goodbye to each other in the morning and set off to their classes...which are right next to each other with an adjoining door.

Timo's teacher sends his work home and Cameron's teacher keeps it in the class for their "journal".  Chinese class is going well too, their teachers constantly tells me how good they are doing.  This is a class offered by the school, parent supported, that will continue their Chinese education.  We had the opportunity to join the class and didn't want their past two year of Chinese to go to waste.  It makes for a very long day adn was a big adjustment period but I think we've settled into a good routine.

And I'm finding ways to plug into the school as well.  Using all my past library experience (high school and collage) I decided to be a volunteer.  As luck would have it, my day is the same day the kindergarteners came in!  Timo was so excited to see me in there when his class came in.  I weld up with pride when I heard him say to his friend, "that's my mommy!"  The wonderful librarian, Ms Donna, reads to them, helps them check out a book and does a great job teaching about the importance of reading.

Cameron wasn't as distracted by me...she was much more focused on getting her book so she could start reading.

We're realizing that with school and after school Chinese, we don't have as much time with the children as before.  It makes that time in the mornings and evening all the more important and really causes us to covet our Saturdays to ourselves for family time.  I guess that why people say time really starts to fly once they start school...