I’ll keep it brief… we’re still having problems loading photos onto Liam’s site, so bear with us until daddy has time to figure out what the problem is.
Our big news, as you all know, is that Liam started school today. We’ve been building up to it over the past few weeks, and he was mostly excited and a little nervous when it came time to leave the house this morning.
He was okay on arrival. He explored the class, and played with some toys, secure in the knowledge we were still there. As chance would have it, we found out that Martine, a little girl he used to play with from time to time, was also in his class (it’s a mixed class, and she’s already on her third year… a real pro!). We’re hoping that because he knows her a little bit, and she’s now bilingual, it will be a bit of help for him.
There was some clinging to mumma’s leg and some tears when it was time to go, but they didn’t last long.
At 11:30 mumma was back to pick Liam up for a picnic lunch at the park with his little friend Iris. (It was her first day of school too… but she goes to the school a block away, and her parents couldn’t come to get her because they’re also both teachers). It was a GREAT lunch. But the tears returned big-time when Liam realised he had to go back to school in the afternoon. But the teachers let him cuddle his hunny bunny, and he seemed calm when we left.
We both went to pick him up at 4:30, and he promptly burst into tears at the sight of us. His teacher, Muriel, said that he didn’t really nap when the other kids did, and he seemed quite tired. I’m not surpised… keeping up with all that french is a lot of work!!! But we kept our promise and took Liam to the toy store to get a new high-speed train for his wooden rail track set. He’s been waiting 3 months to get it!
So the first day is over. He doesn’t go back to school until Friday (there is no school in France on Wednesdays, and Thursday is the first day for the other half of his class). So he’s got 2 days reprieve. I don’t think Friday will go any better than today… but at least we’ve got day 1 out of the way.
Having said all this, he did say he had fun doing painting, and playing in the playground at recess… so it couldn’t have been all bad!!!
Congratulations Liam. We’re so proud of you. (and I didn’t shed a tear, although I was feeling awfully depressed and lonely after we dropped him off).