Wednesday 16 October 2013

The right choices for our children

trying on the dress-up clothes on the first day of school
I mentioned last week that Sera has been having a hard time adjusting to her new daycare. There have been tears and tantrums and nightmares and emotionally it's exhausting.  I leave her in the morning and then go back the the car with a heavy heart and need to spend a little while centring myself again before I can start my day.

Yesterday I was at a friends house and she asked me how it was going and I started to spew out all the negative things that I have seen in her new school in comparison to the old. More kids per teacher, less space to play physically, less structure, less attention to hygiene, less organised activities, infrequent diaper changes (yes, she's back in diapers... Forget about all my potty-training attempts), over-administration, strict and loud teachers and of course, Sera telling me she preferred the one from last year.

Well it's still early days as it's only been 2 weeks, but I realised while talking how much I'm disliking the new school, as well. I've been trying to ignore my negative sensations because I have been wanting to give it a chance. Also, it is significantly cheaper than the school she went to last year, which is definitely a motivating factor.  I'm also worried that by pulling her from this school and returning to the old one she will learn that if you don't like something you can just quit.... But is that true or just a paranoia that I'm harbouring? She's only 2,5 does she really understand that school is supposed to be for 10 months instead of 1?

Today was a bit better. We went in with dad too so I could get his opinion.  He confirmed that it's different from the old one but said it didn't seem too bad. Sera was happier than other days and though she cried a bit she stopped before we left and seemed excited to start the day. I also saw a sculpture she had made (some goo on cardboard) and felt a bit relieved that they're doing some creative work with her. 

My question is, do I pull her out and put her back in the old private school or hang-tight and keep her where she is? And how do I know which decision in right? Everyone says to 'do what's best for the child' but that's not always so clear.

I don't want to be the crazy over-protective mum who doesn't let her child face difficulties but I also don't want to be the mum who prefers to have a new pair of shoes or two over the quality of daycare of her child.

Mums! Please leave comments! I need your advise! What would you do???! 

1 comment :

  1. ciao sara, do you mind if I write in italian?hope not! bene ho letto il tuo post e mi sembra di capire che la nuova scuola ha oggettivamente delle cose negative. Meno insegnanti, più confusione, meno spazio...etc etc. Questo per dire che ci sono delle cose negative OGGETTIVE e non si tratta del capriccio di una bimba che preferisce la vecchia scuola alla nuova magari solo per abitudine. Io penso che mi concentrerei per fare la mia scelta sugli aspetti che valuto oggettivamente come mamma, compreso certo anche l'aspetto del costo. Se alla fine delle mie valutazioni dovessi concludere che è meglio la vecchia scuola, riscriverei la bimba alla vecchia. Sinceramente non mi porrei il problema educativo che la bimba possa recepire il messaggio che se una cosa non piace , si cambia.....è piccola e inq uesto momento credo che sia più giusto garantirle un ambiente bello e sereno che piaccia a lei e che piaccia a te come mamma. Credo che avrà tempo per capire le difficoltà della vita e come queste non possono sempre essere bypassate. Ripeto dal mio punto di vista gia per un bimbo di due anni la comunita è un bell impegno, stare fuori casa, senza la mamma...ripeto sono bimbi piccoli ancora. Se posso garantirle un ambiente più gradevole, credo che la cosa possa solo farle bene! un abbraccio e fammi sapere!!

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