Monday, August 2, 2010

Herding Cats


Adaptação/Adaptation.  That is my life, at least for this week.  My youngest, 18 months, is starting school.  Cheers and Amens all around people! Momma is going to have some free time!  Woo Hoo! 

So let me explain "school" for 1 year olds. My son is in group 1, or Groupo 1 in Portuguese.  They have their little classroom and special classes. Today was aula de corpo (body class). It's like a fancy gym class where an expensive private teacher comes and teaches our 1 and 2 year olds how to tumble.  What it really looked like was an expensive teacher talking to children like adults while our kids ran around like lunatics.  But everyone had a good time and that's what matters.

They also rotate activities about every 20 minutes to half hour, going from the class room to the patio to the art room, etc.  That's where it gets entertaining.

How do 2 or 3 adults transport 12 one and two year olds from one place to another? 

If I had to describe it, I would call it the herding cats method.  Have you ever herded cats?  Probably not. You'd have to be insane to do it. That just confirms my theory that all daycare teachers are slightly insane. 

Hey now, just because they're insane doesn't mean they aren't nice and that they can't take good care of our children. Just look at Grandma for heaven's sake.

Anyway, the kids meander around, here and there and everywhere.  Then you call them over and BAM they are gone, the opposite direction.  That's what a group of one year olds are like, herding cats.  

Of course, the vast majority of the group have been domesticated already. Rafa is such the little wild Tom Cat of the group. He had his first stand off with the teacher on his first day of school.  Made his Momma proud.

So I'll be spending the week hanging out at my kids' school. That means I sit there and try to look invisible. Very difficult considering I look like a giant to a 1 year old. 

It's not too bad though. I get a glimpse of what a day at school is like for my kids.  I would like it more if they'd give me snack.  Mom likes bananas too. Wait a minute, that sounded kind of dirty didn't it...

5 comments:

  1. Hope the adaptation goes well.
    Rafa going to school just scares me a little bit bc when you get free time you get bored and get the impression that you can have more and more babies... let's just hope a little girl comes along this time.

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  2. The first day went ok. We stayed for 2 hours and he sat and had his lanche with his friends. The teacher thinks he'll be on his own next week. Fingers crossed.

    As for baby #3. I think that only works after the first, that is, unless they give out free school for number 3. You know, buy 2 get one free. Doubtful

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  3. Must have been kinda nice to be able to see what his days will be like. Did he run to you at times or were you visible but not accessible?

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  4. so what aren't you doing at home while both boys are at school? I say aren't, bc I would spend so much time just relaxing (at least the first few days alone)

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  5. lol. I haven't gotten to do anything yet! But once Rafa is in and I'm free, I'm going to teach part of the time and lunch/nap/sit/walk around alone in the city which I love doing the other part

    I was accessible the entire time. I had to follow the group around and sit on the edge of where they were at. He didn't run to me the first hour/hour and a half. The teacher said that's pretty good.

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