Mother's Day Out

Pierce started to preschool on February 21, 2012. I know the date because it was our 8th wedding anniversary. I was almost 9 months pregnant at the time. I went for my cleaning at the dentist and my dental hygienist was telling all about the Mother's Day Out Program at the local Presbyterian church. She was telling me that her son goes there and how much she loved it. Then another hygienist chimed in that her son went there too. I told them that I had been thinking of sending Pierce to school because I felt that he needed more interaction with kids his age. They both HIGHLY recommended it. And it was SO affordable! Only $120 a month! I felt like we could actually afford for him to go there. So, when I left the dentist, I went home and called MDO. They explained to me that they follow the school calender and enrollment starts in August. They also explained to me that they have a waiting list and no openings for the August enrolment into the 2 year old room but they could put him on the waiting list. Then they said if I would be interested in going ahead and starting him immediately they had a child in the 1 year old room just move to Hawaii and Pierce could have his spot. Meaning, he would automatically be in the 2 year old room come August. But only if I started him right away. So, I went and met with the director and the 1 year old teacher right then. I will never forget what the teacher said to me, she said "You can sit out in the hallway all day if you want but you cannot be in my room." She wanted me to walk in, hand her my child who has been with me his entire life, hand him to a complete stranger and walk away. The director said it is just better to do it that way than to try and ease him into it. I figured they must know what they were talking about so I told them that I would take the spot. I got the paperwork that I needed to fill out and the supply list. They advised me on where to go to get his rest mat, the elementary school. Rest mats aint what they were when I was a kid! Oh my! I went to the local elementary school and asked if they had any for sale. They took me onto their supply room and they had 1 rest mat for a boy. The rest were for girls. The rest mat was Snoopy. Lol! No wonder nobody had bought it! Kids today don't exactly know who Snoopy is. But it was the only one they had, so I told them I would take it. We went to the front desk and they told me that would be $25. I almost passed out! $25 for an outdated Snoopy rest mat?! Wow! But, what could I do? He had to have it to start school. I didn't have time to be picky. So, I sucked it up and bought the Snoopy rest mat. I had to fill out an insane amount of paperwork. Get a notary's signature, sign an affidavit, list every one who can pick him up, who cant pick him up, get his blue slip from his doctor and so on and so on. After I went all over town getting all of the supplies and paperwork together, I took it up there and told them that we were ready to start. So, his first day was February 21, 2012. I carried him in, handed my screaming baby to a complete stranger and walked off and left. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I had to pick him up early that day because I had an appt at my obgyn that afternoon. When I got there, it was nap time. All of the teachers were out of their rooms and were lining the hallway quietly chatting while the kids slept. I looked for Pierce's teacher and she tells me that she had to bring him out into the hallway so he wouldn't disturb the others. I looked around and there was my boy. Lying on his Snoopy rest mat, in the fetal position, holding his cup. He didn't even look up at me. He just laid there. I got down on the floor, all 9 months pregnant, and started to stroke his hair and whisper into his ear that I was there. He finally got up and let me hold him. I carried him out and put him into his car seat and I got in the drivers seat and I reached back and he grabbed my hand and held on for dear life. He didn't let go for about 25 minutes. I drove with my left hand and held his hand with my right. I felt like I had completely traumatized my child. And in all honesty, I probably did. Ellie Kate was born on March 9th. Pierce turned 2 on March 23rd. He cried 99% of the days when I dropped him off at school. He was in that class from February through May. Then I had the option to let him join the summer program which was only about a 6 week program that ran from June-July, or I could keep him out and let him come back in August. I chose to send him. For a lot of reasons, one being that I had a new baby. Another being that I didn't want him to get out of the routine of going to school and us having to go through all of that trauma again. He cried the first day that I dropped him off. He was in a new room with a new teacher, so it was to be expected. But then the next day, he didn't cry. Or the next day, or any of the days thereafter. He loved that teacher.  I came to pick him up one day and there she sat in the floor with Pierce on her lap and she was reading a book to just him. Giving him one on one attention. I was beyond impressed. There were only 5 other kids in his room. It was a small class, which helped I think. One day the director stopped me and asked me if I had any concerns about Pierces speech, or lack thereof. I told her that I was and she referred me to a wonderful group who has helped us so much. I will post more about that later. Then August came and he had a whole new experience to adjust to. We went to open house and he was going to be in the same room as he was in the summer! But he had a different teacher. 2 different teachers and his small class of 6 turned into a huge class of 16!  He has became very attached to the director, Mrs. Julie. Her office is right across the hall from his classroom. He can see her all day and she gives him special attention. So, she waits by the door every morning and she takes his hand and he goes in his classroom and all is right with the world. BUT, if Mrs. Julie is out or busy somewhere else and isn't there to walk him in.......he freaks out! He has had horrible tantrums. He has even thrown a chair a couple of times, leaving me terrified that they were going to kick him out. One morning, I was still in the parking lot talking with another parent and parents started coming out of the school saying "That is your kid. He is having a fit. They have had to close the doors to keep him in." Then all of a sudden the school door flies open and there is Pierce, screaming and crying and running out into the parking lot. His teacher was right behind him of course but it was a horrible experience for everyone. He ended up missing the Thanksgiving celebration at school, because he woke up in a bad mood and I knew if I sent him he would melt down again and I really didn't want him to ruin their Thanksgiving. Then Christmas comes and they say that his class is going to be in the Christmas program. I asked his teacher what he should wear and she said that it didn't really matter because it was going to be covered by a white pillow case and he would be wearing a halo. I literally laughed out loud! I said "You really think he is going to wear that?!" She told me that if he started getting upset that she would send him out to come sit with us so he wouldn't disturb the program. So, during the program he wore the pillowcase and the halo but he didn't participate the way the other kids did. And he spotted us and got upset and he came to sit with us for the rest of the program. He was the only kid in the entire school who had to go sit with their parents. But I was SO PROUD of him! I couldn't believe that he had worn the outfit and sat there for as long as he did! And then went we left, I could tell that Brandon was upset. He was embarrassed by Pierce. I was horrified! I was so proud of him and to see him not be good enough for Brandon broke my heart. I said "Why cant you just be proud of him?" Then later we talked and Brandon explained to me that for the first time he saw that Pierce was different from the other kids. Something that I see everyday when I take him to school and he is the only one who is screaming and when I pick him up and the other kids can carry on a conversation as well as I can and Pierce barely says a word. I think reality hit Brandon that Pierce IS different. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but he's not like other kids his age. He is delayed in his speech for sure, though that has gotten A LOT better since he began speech therapy. But even past that, he likes everything the same. If one thing is different or not what he expected it to be, he can't handle it. I am that way to some degree so I understand. Brandon is really quiet and shy. So, I kind of think the combination of needing structure and being quiet and shy and being unable to tell us what he is feeling makes him extremely frustrated and he acts out. School started back after the holidays on Thursday and Pierce was excited to go! And Mrs. Julie was standing there waiting on him. So, all was right with the world. He took her hand and just walked right in. And when I picked him up, they said that he had a good day. So, here's hoping that the New Year will be good to us and that Pierce will continue to talk more and adjust to school.

Here are some pics of Pierce at school.

 Pierce giving Mrs. Hope her gift on the last day of the summer program.

 Getting ready to go to Open House at school.

 

The first day of school!

2 year old class

August 2012