Pre-School
Birdie started Montessori pre-school on Monday. She'll be going 3 days a week for a half day to start.
Originally Birdie was going to go to a half-day pre-school in the basement of a church that's a few blocks from our house. We put down the deposit for that back in January for a September start. Our plans didn't change until literally last week. M's friend runs the school Birdie is attending, and originally the only option was full-time. M didn't want to do that quite yet, so we went with the church school. However, special circumstances came up, and now there was a spot open for part-time. After a quick tour of the facilities (a purpose built space in her backyard, complete with fenced playground and a school dog), we signed Birdie up and withdrew from the other school. Since the pre-school runs 5 days a week for a full day, we have the option to expand her attendance if needed or desired.
The much shortened time frame meant we had to pull together a bunch of things on short notice. There was the obligatory outfit for the first day of school, a water bottle and shoes to be left at the pre-school, and a fancy chalkboard for first day of school photos. She liked the new shoes (actually sandals) enough that we ended up keeping them home and sending an existing pair instead. We bought a couple of water bottles because I broke her primary one in July during a trip to the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, so she now has a unicorn water bottle at pre-school and an Encanto one at home. She also got to have her nails painted.
Birdie had a great time at her first day. Naturally, Tuesday night a bad storm whipped through town. Our house is fine and has power, but most of the rest of the area has no electricity due to high winds and fallen tree branches. The pre-school didn't have power OR cell coverage OR internet, so they couldn't actually cancel in time for the parents to make other arrangements. It was nice out, so they opted to stay open anyway. Birdie got to play outside there all morning. The current timeline for power to be restored isn't until this weekend, so they're moving it to the house of one of the kids for her Friday class.
Pre-school isn't technically her first school, but since Torah Tots is really just a fun daycare at a synagogue, pragmatically it's the first school. Like Torah Tots, she (and M) have to wake up a lot earlier than they were previously, which is probably the biggest impact on our routine.
And so life goes.
Originally Birdie was going to go to a half-day pre-school in the basement of a church that's a few blocks from our house. We put down the deposit for that back in January for a September start. Our plans didn't change until literally last week. M's friend runs the school Birdie is attending, and originally the only option was full-time. M didn't want to do that quite yet, so we went with the church school. However, special circumstances came up, and now there was a spot open for part-time. After a quick tour of the facilities (a purpose built space in her backyard, complete with fenced playground and a school dog), we signed Birdie up and withdrew from the other school. Since the pre-school runs 5 days a week for a full day, we have the option to expand her attendance if needed or desired.
The much shortened time frame meant we had to pull together a bunch of things on short notice. There was the obligatory outfit for the first day of school, a water bottle and shoes to be left at the pre-school, and a fancy chalkboard for first day of school photos. She liked the new shoes (actually sandals) enough that we ended up keeping them home and sending an existing pair instead. We bought a couple of water bottles because I broke her primary one in July during a trip to the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, so she now has a unicorn water bottle at pre-school and an Encanto one at home. She also got to have her nails painted.
Birdie had a great time at her first day. Naturally, Tuesday night a bad storm whipped through town. Our house is fine and has power, but most of the rest of the area has no electricity due to high winds and fallen tree branches. The pre-school didn't have power OR cell coverage OR internet, so they couldn't actually cancel in time for the parents to make other arrangements. It was nice out, so they opted to stay open anyway. Birdie got to play outside there all morning. The current timeline for power to be restored isn't until this weekend, so they're moving it to the house of one of the kids for her Friday class.
Pre-school isn't technically her first school, but since Torah Tots is really just a fun daycare at a synagogue, pragmatically it's the first school. Like Torah Tots, she (and M) have to wake up a lot earlier than they were previously, which is probably the biggest impact on our routine.
And so life goes.