Getting Oriented

This afternoon, we left Toby with our new neighbor, G, and James, Thomas and I attended Thomas' school orientation. In many ways, it was an orientation for all of us...first, we had to find the school, as we've never actually been there before (which I know sounds like such a "Gasp!" thing to do, but we knew he'd go to one of the international schools, and this is the smallest and the closest one to our home, so it really was a no-brainer for us as to where he'd go)...and then we had to find out where we could and couldn't park. Once we entered the school, the whole orientation thing was worked out like a science and we were quickly whisked away to his classroom.

We met his teacher, Miss Natalie, who seems cute as can be! There are only two classes in each grade, but she was the one that I was secretly hoping he would get. Only because I have heard good things about her, the other teacher is probably wonderful, too, but she is brand new, so there just isn't any "word on the block" about her, yet. I think Thomas immediately liked her too, because he gave Miss Natalie eye contact and spoke a few words to her...which to me was almost a miracle!

I didn't think to count exactly how many kids are in his class...but I know it is 15-17. They also have a full-time aide assigned to the class.

Miss Natalie had prepared a cute scavenger hunt for the kids which was really a quick check-list of places that the kids should know the location of. Now Thomas knows where the closest boy's bathroom is, where his cubby is, his coat hook, his seat in the classroom, etc, etc.

Although his school had sent out a pretty thick packet a few weeks ago, the Primary teachers also made up their own little packet. I spent the rest of the night gathering things and writing Thomas' name all over everything. Some things I don't have, so we will improvise until I get the right things or see what the other kids have. Like a "water bottle", somehow I don't think that means the clear plastic kind that you buy in bulk...but that's what I'm sending Thomas to school with tomorrow!

In his grade, he has gym twice a week. That also means the children all change into a full gym outfit. I broke the news to Thomas. This is a big deal because he doesn't like changing his clothes in front of other people. He is very modest, he always has been. He doesn't even like to change his shirt in front of others. But since he'll have his first day of gym on Friday, I figured I might as well tell him now. He was a little alarmed. Now, I'll hold my breath and see how that one goes...

We also discovered that he will be taking German! I thought formal German classes didn't start until the second grade...but they don't. He'll have German three days a week, for 40 minutes at a time. The rest of the instruction is in English.

I also found out that my afternoons will be a little more hectic than I assumed! I will be driving Thomas to and from school, and once he is comfortable with the school, it is possible to drop him off at the entrance of the school, where there will always be at least two teachers ushering the kids in, but when it comes time to pick him up, I have to park, go into the school and pick him up at his classroom every day...with Toby...Ugh! Not that it's that big of a deal, but it is a lot more "work" than I thought I'd have to do...especially when I thought I'd just be able to pull up in the car and pick him up!

But probably the biggest relief of all was to find out that they are given 25 minutes to eat lunch! I packed Thomas a "lunch" tonight in his lunchbox, for his dinner and set the timer and told him to pretend he was at school. I made sure he could open everything and do it all himself. For the things that he was having a hard time with, I found a way for him to do those things and we'll work on those skills so that he can really do them soon. But at least for now, he won't have to rely on his teacher or go without something at lunch time because he doesn't know how to get into it.

Once we got back from the orientation. Toby was really attached to Thomas. Maybe it was because he missed him for the couple hours that we were gone but James and I both said, "Toby knows something is going on".

We put the kids to bed... on time... and reminded Thomas that "OK, tomorrow is the big day!" He seemed excited. I left his room, saying my usual, "Good night, see you in the morning, sweet dreams" chant and then he popped up and said, "But--Mom--I won't get to see you very much in the morning--and then I'll be gone ALL DAY!" And that's when my very last heart string broke and I went downstairs and cried to James and told him I can't believe our little boy is already this old!

Somehow, I think Thomas' "First Day of School" is going to be harder on me than him!

Until later,

Emily