The Life of Savages

Well, we had our first week of preschool.  There are mixed reviews but here is the week in recap.

Ready to go with her lunch bag and very excited!

Day One:  Brian and I both took Lily and stayed for about 30 minutes with her.  She was very excited and waved good-bye with no tears.  Picking her up was a different story.  I walked in and all the children were sitting at a table eating cupcakes for someone’s birthday.  Lily had her head down on the table (cue mother’s breaking heart).  She saw me and calmly walked over.  In the car, I asked her how things went.  She basically described her feelings with surprising articulation all the while fighting back tears (cue mother’s breaking heart again).  She said that it had been a hard day because it was hard to find a friend and she was disoriented by the routine.  She also said that she was so tired and it felt too long.  She then laid on my lap for at least an hour.

End of day 1 - can we say SHELL SHOCK!

Day Two:  She happily helped me pack her lunch bag.  She was happy about going again because I told her that I would pick her up earlier today and bring her home to take a nap.  We arrived and she was okay until I had to go.  She started crying but perked up when her friend, Ella, from dance class walked in the door.  When I picked her up later she was laughing and talking.  The teachers said she had a great day and was very into singing the songs.  She said that she had a much better day and that she just cried a little in the beginning because. . .and I quote. . .”I had to get some madness out to get to the happiness.”  She came home and took an almost 3 hour nap.

Day Three: Happy to go but cried at drop-off again – although by the time I made it to the door I could hear that she stopped.  When I picked her up early again she said she wanted to stay a few more minutes to play. . . Wow!  She ran off and left me sitting at her lunch table.  I went to find her in the other room and she was dressing up with two other girls.  I let her play a few more minutes and then we came home.  She walked in the door, grabbed her bunny, went to the potty and went right to her bed with very little talking (amazing).  She has been asleep now for 2.5 hours.

The verdict:  I think it is quite a transition for her and it definitely exhausts her, but overall I think each day is better and by the time I need to be home on the couch with a newborn, I am sure she will prefer to play at preschool.