I'm debating whether or not to continue to send my son (age 4 1/2) to his two-morning a week pre-K program at our local Waldorf school.
I have always planned to homeschool, and my husband wanted us to try this program. The school is the only one we would consider for our son. We've been absolutely thrilled with his teacher. She is dear and kind and good and excellent with the children. While I was concerned about sending him, I've also been very affected by our baby (now one) who is very high-need. (He was born very sick. We are so thankful that he is thriving. He rarely sleeps for more than two hours at a time, and I'm completely wiped out sometimes. This sleeplessness is another subject, and it's one we've been through before as our oldest son was also a very sensitive, easily overwhelmed preemie.)
Well, at first our son was hesitant, but he went along with school. He liked the teacher, and stuck to her. He began to bring home observations including an amazed delight that children willfully and happily go against the requests of the teacher. He then started saying "no" to me with a smug, taunting look. After more time, he began telling me that other kids fight. Recently, he experiments with fighting. He was very upset that a girl said "I hate you" to him. Last Friday, he told us that he gave a boy a note that said "I hate you" and that another boy was encouraging him to do so. My husband and I were distraught.
I don't like the fighting. I don't like that the boys and girls seem to have self-segregated. I like the one on one time with my baby. I like that my son seems happy to play with other children. We have doubts that kindergarten would work at all, partly because it's 5 days a week and partly because the school is moving and we don't want our children in the car too much.
I know I'm going on a bit. My son says he'd miss the playing but not the fighting if he stopped going. He says he wants to go. I would miss his teacher. I've also had a good feeling of community with some of the other parents. My son has been fairly blah about the mommy&me program we've taken through the Waldorf's schools outreach.
I feel very muddled and am having a hard time making a decision. I am ambivalent about paying January's tuition at the end of this month, and prayers and meditations don't seem to enlighten me. We've had a hard time meeting others since we moved 1.5 years ago, and the neighborhood children are out 8-5 or more each day. The local homeschooling group is very big, and I know I need to put a lot of effort into finding playmates. There are lots of activities for children in our town. I am a bit overwhelmed by how much work I've had to do to arrange and host the playdates we've had, but I will do this. I wonder if my son has come out a bit at school because I haven't been there. I also wonder if they are playing Lord of the Flies. I should stop now. I'd more than welcome hearing from any of you with ideas whether you've brought a child home from school or not. Thank you for listening!
I have always planned to homeschool, and my husband wanted us to try this program. The school is the only one we would consider for our son. We've been absolutely thrilled with his teacher. She is dear and kind and good and excellent with the children. While I was concerned about sending him, I've also been very affected by our baby (now one) who is very high-need. (He was born very sick. We are so thankful that he is thriving. He rarely sleeps for more than two hours at a time, and I'm completely wiped out sometimes. This sleeplessness is another subject, and it's one we've been through before as our oldest son was also a very sensitive, easily overwhelmed preemie.)
Well, at first our son was hesitant, but he went along with school. He liked the teacher, and stuck to her. He began to bring home observations including an amazed delight that children willfully and happily go against the requests of the teacher. He then started saying "no" to me with a smug, taunting look. After more time, he began telling me that other kids fight. Recently, he experiments with fighting. He was very upset that a girl said "I hate you" to him. Last Friday, he told us that he gave a boy a note that said "I hate you" and that another boy was encouraging him to do so. My husband and I were distraught.
I don't like the fighting. I don't like that the boys and girls seem to have self-segregated. I like the one on one time with my baby. I like that my son seems happy to play with other children. We have doubts that kindergarten would work at all, partly because it's 5 days a week and partly because the school is moving and we don't want our children in the car too much.
I know I'm going on a bit. My son says he'd miss the playing but not the fighting if he stopped going. He says he wants to go. I would miss his teacher. I've also had a good feeling of community with some of the other parents. My son has been fairly blah about the mommy&me program we've taken through the Waldorf's schools outreach.
I feel very muddled and am having a hard time making a decision. I am ambivalent about paying January's tuition at the end of this month, and prayers and meditations don't seem to enlighten me. We've had a hard time meeting others since we moved 1.5 years ago, and the neighborhood children are out 8-5 or more each day. The local homeschooling group is very big, and I know I need to put a lot of effort into finding playmates. There are lots of activities for children in our town. I am a bit overwhelmed by how much work I've had to do to arrange and host the playdates we've had, but I will do this. I wonder if my son has come out a bit at school because I haven't been there. I also wonder if they are playing Lord of the Flies. I should stop now. I'd more than welcome hearing from any of you with ideas whether you've brought a child home from school or not. Thank you for listening!
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