Slow progress

Tess with her Year Six buddy

Emily and her friend Emily

So yesterday was the first day of school. I wish I could say Emmy and Tess greeted me at day's end with big smiles and told me how much they loved it. Instead both girls were exhausted, hungry, thirsty and a little shell shocked by pick up time. The weather was quite warm and humid and neither girl had drunk any of her water. Likewise, their lunches were largely uneaten. They eat lunch outside during an all school recess period and apparently we have some kinks to work out.

The school pairs up each Kindie kid with a buddy from Grade Six. Once I got some food into Tess she began to tell me stories about her buddy Brian (just like Daddy!) and all the funny things he had to say. She said he joined her for lunch and played with Emily as well. Em announced that she'd met another Emily. After day one neither girl could name their teacher or a single other kid in their class. 

For day two I gave the kids three assignments: 1) Learn your teacher's name, 2) Learn the name of one friend, and 3) Drink your water!

Both girls dragged their feet leaving the house this morning and Emily in particular seemed quite nervous. It seems they do a lot to ease the Kindie kids into school but Emily is one of only a few new students in her year and I think she felt a little lost. 

As we walked into the school yard in the morning a sweet older girl walked up and said to her friend, "Look, there's my buddy." The older kids seem to take their buddy responsibilities seriously and I was glad to know that Addie had an eye out for Tess each day. Of course, I now have to second guess anything Tess tells me about her day.

By the time the girls went in for school we had already asked around and found out their teachers' names - Ms. Reid for Tess and Ms. Stone for Emily. Emily also introduced me to the other Emily.

At pick up Emily seemed in a much brighter mood. She knew a lot of names and seemed to really like several of the kids. Tess seemed happy at pickup but her teacher said Tess had an emotional morning and had cried and said she missed me. I heard that several other Kindie kids were crying in the morning so it's possible that set her off. 

After school we stuck around in the play yard and then in the nearby playground for a good two and a half hours. I was so happy to see the girls play, jump and smile, and just act like happy kids. I know they will both thrive in school in time. I know they will make close friends. Still, it's heartbreaking to watch them struggle through these early days. 

Emily's class files into school

Tess shows off her big jumps in the school yard

More after school play in the public park