Summer Camp is 6 weeks of fun- so different from the regular school. Don’t get me wrong, I think the school year is fun too, but there is something distinctly different about summer camp! This year, I went back to working full time knowing that it was only 6 weeks and there was a high probability of eventually taking Brady with me!
So, the first 4 weeks of summer camp flew by and Brady spent time between hanging with Aunt Mandy and Aunt Lori while I was hanging with an average of sixteen 3-4 year olds. Week 5 was a shortened week and with a lot fewer kids; now was the perfect time to see what Brady thought of school. Oh yeah, I can’t forget to mention the fact that we have NEVER made it through an entire day entirely in underwear. I suppose that was a slight concern for me!
The first positive part of the day was leaving the house later than normal. I didn’t have to drop Brady off anywhere!!!! The second plus- we got to wear matching shirts! :)
So, to school we went- with a backpack full of 4 pairs of underwear, extra shorts, blankie, a turtle pillow pet, a water bottle, and a lunch. Oh, I was so excited- I was taking my perfect child with me to school! HA!
Brady fluttered around to the many areas of the classroom checking out the materials. He really enjoyed the fragrant coffee sand- pouring and scooping! The special class for that week was Science and green flubber was on the schedule for the day. Apparently I forgot to explain to Brady that we needed to sit quietly and attentively for the story that the teacher was reading and that playing and talking with the other children was frowned upon. Even sitting in my lap was a joke!
Outside time- just what he needed! Running, riding bikes and snack- he was a happy little boy! Next, Spanish class. I didn’t stay, but from what I heard he was just as well behaved as the other children. Ummm…I think that was a plus….
So, we had some more classroom play time and then lunch followed by rest time. Again, I think to myself- we wore Brady out- he’s going to fall asleep fast and stay asleep for at least a couple hours. Ha!
As all the children are resting on their cots Brady is jumping on his little bed looking at me and laughing. I asked him to lay down, tried rubbing his back and eventually confiscated his beloved yellow blankie. He didn’t care- he kept jumping and playing. Every time he saw my co-teacher (who was back and fourth between two classrooms as she finished a project) he would quick lay down on his cot. So, when she was finished and came back in the room for good she gave him back his blankie and rubbed his back. He quietly and peacefully snuggled his blankie and fell asleep. I’m going to give him the benefit and say he slept for 45 min! (He even stayed dry all rest time!)
The rest of the day was great and Brady was happy to play and eat snack before going home! And at the end of the day, we only needed one pair of the underwear!
Brady finished out the week with me and did well. Friday was touch and go at times and I told my co-teacher he must have been having a “Case of the Fridays.”
As for week 6- he went to school Tuesday, Thursday and half day on Friday. On Thursday at rest time he was beyond naughty! I laugh now, but at the time I wanted to pull my hair out! As all the children were resting he jumped on his bed, stood on the chairs looking for me (as I was rubbing backs of other children) and thought it was funny when I took him back to his cot. I tried rubbing his back for a bit, but he wanted to chat with me so I moved on. He jumped on his cot some more, stood on chairs again (as the other children are now laughing and he is feeling very proud), tried on shoes that belonged to the child who’s back I was rubbing. Then he ran back and forth from his cot to me, giving me hugs and kisses each time. Well, clearly I was not effective- so across the hall he went! Ms Fredie was working in her kid free room and I asked nicely- or maybe I told her he was staying- I can’t remember now, but either way, he needed to be in an environment in which he wasn’t going to get my attention. And guess what- he didn’t jump on his bed or stand on chairs- instead he snuggled blankie and went to sleep!
All in all I was happy to have him at school with me! It was reaffirming that it is good he will be in another class in the fall as opposed to mine! So, now the decision becomes- When should he start school? He can start as early as the beginning of the year, but he doesn’t turn 3 until December and when I was first planning on him starting preschool I was planning for January 2012- when he was 3. But since Mandy is due with baby #3 in early November, I was thinking he would start after Fall Break (mid October), but it is only going to be for 2 days a week maybe he can handle starting in August! Oh, decisions, decisions!!!!!
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