Pre-school - A right time and place!

As parents of a 35-month toddler we make decisions in his best interest, or so we convince ourselves.  Our son started preschool camp at 34 months.  We made the decision as working parents, that it would be best for him to socialize with kids his own age, as he was constantly surrounded with adults and “their adult culture”.  Levi was happy for the first two days, then we began to be unsure whether our decision in sending him off to preschool camp at 34 months was the right thing to have done, as he became withdrawn at camp and subsequently had no desire to return in the days that followed, although we left him no longer than three hours at camp each day.

Being away from his comfort zone was terrifying for him, wherein he displayed signs of stress and would not wish to be dressed for camp in the mornings.  At camp he would cry to stay with us even as his teacher would peel him off from us to try and calm him.  In the beginning, it was very difficult and heart-breaking watching him go through such stressful moments, especially being at such a tender age.  As the morning progressed, he would usually settle down from crying and from looking so very sad (his teacher would sometimes forward pictures to us via WhatsApp) and would play, sometime alone and on occasions with other kids at routine play time activities.  At first, nap time seemed so far away from him, it was as if he just waited for us, his parents, to take him home to the safety and comfort of our presence. Thankfully, camp ended, where he could spend all day at home again with his grandparents, whom he loves sharing the outdoors.   

He is now officially spending five hours of his day at preschool and loves his two full-time lead teachers.  This journey of preschool has not been an easy one for him and for us as his parents, as dressing a now 35-month-old toddler for school is sometimes a roller coaster of events, eating breakfast in a hurry is a complete “no, no” so, that activity is done while on the way to preschool.  His teachers make attending to him seem so effortless, where lunchtime with her is truly a beautiful moment, and where the word “no” holds meaning – I believe the secret is, by not being his parent, her years of experience in treating with kids his age is tremendous, as such, his behaviour towards her is different, where “challenges” are few, if any, unlike with mommy!