Why change if it ain't broken?

They have changed the schedule at Wild Man's preschool this year. Instead of finishing the day with group time inside the kids now have free time from 2.30 to 3pm and we can just pick them up whenever suits us in that time.

I don't like it.

Last year, when they finished with group time inside, my favourite part of the whole week was seeing Wild Man come to the door with all the other kids. He would spot me waiting for him and his whole face would light up.

It was pure mothering bliss.

I also miss having time to catch up with the other Mums. Having to wait for the kids outside was really social. They kids didn't come out until 3pm so we all had a chance to have a few minutes chat. Now, everyone just tends to grab their kid and go.

My other concern is that the old way seemed safer. I know the teachers provide excellent supervision but surely having all the kids leave from the same door at the same time decreases the chance that a child could leave with someone they aren't supposed to?

And I think it is better for kids who will be going to school next year to learn about finishing as a group and leaving the classroom as a group? (although I can see that the new way would be better for Mums who need to pick up early so they can be on time to collect their school aged children).

Mostly though, I just really miss seeing my beautiful little man's happy smile when he looked out the door and saw me waiting for him.

What is your favourite moment in the week?

Whatever your child is like, you'll worry

It's funny, the things that worry you about your kids.

I have two close friends who have boys the same age as Wild Man but with completely different personalities from my small ruffian. In both cases the boys tend to give in when another kid wants the same toy. They don't feel the need to be in the 'pack' of kids at preschool and are really happy to do their own thing.

Both Mums are worried.

Worried their kids will be bullied, won't get anywhere in life, can't stand up for themselves.

I'm jealous.

Obviously I adore Wild Man and all the chaos he brings with him but placid he is not.

He'll fight to the death for a toy he wants and then have an epic melt-down if he loses, and he not only has to be in the 'pack' ...  he has to be in charge of it. 

This is not a relaxing personality to have and sometimes I worry for him.

I don't think he'll be a bully - he's very tender and kind with babies and kids that are smaller or more vunerable than him - but I do worry that his need to be in charge will lead to him fighting a million battles in his life over issues that his friends would have been able to ignore.

There a six billion people on the planet and life is easier if you are able to be a bit flexible.

In the case of the two little boys, I really admire how self contained they are.

If another kid doesn't want to do the same thing they do they're happy to just wander off and play with something else. Happy in their own company. If someone doesn't want to play the same game as Wild Man he drags them back by their hoodie.

Every kids has their strengths and their weaknesses, but overwhelming the lesson I have learned from my experiences parenting and watching my friends is that we are all terrified for our children.

Worried they won't have friends, or that they'll have the wrong kind of friends.

Worried they'll won't be good enough and everyone will tease them, worried they'll be too good and everyone will tease them.

It's hard to let them go out into the world where we can't protect them.

But I think in the end Alvin Prince had it right when he said:

'Parents need to fill a child's bucket of self-esteem so high that the rest of the world can't poke enough holes to drain it dry.'*

And then we need to be very, very brave and let them go.

What do you worry about for your children?  

*special thanks to Naomi Hart for putting me on to the quote. It's a cracker!

 

Eight percent of people do everything: A tale of preschool fundraising

I'm on the parent committee at my son's preschool. I'm a bit compulsive about 'joining in/helping out' and I figure that if I want my kids to go to a great preschool I need to be prepared to help raise money for the extras.

In the case of our not-for-profit preschool extras include new carpet (the current stuff is 30 years old but still servicable), cafe blinds around the veranda to make it useful on rainy days, and having duck eggs hatch into ducklings at the preschool.

The total cost will be about $10,000, which is a LOT of fundraising.

None of them are essential but all of them go towards making the preschool as good as it can be for our kids.

Which is why I am so suprised that some parents are so incredibly anti-fundraising.

I don't expect that everyone will be on the committee, and the activities aren't compulsory so if you are especially busy or a bit cash strapped that's fine, but you would think that people might be able to bother selling a few raffle tickets, or take the box of fundraising chocolates home and buy a couple themselves before returning the box, or spend an hour and a half helping at a Bunnings sausage sizzle.

Afterall, it's for our kids.

So I am endlessly astonished by the families that refuse to help. And yes, it is always the same families.

Why can't they just make a little bit of effort to help their children's preschool?

You don't have to be a leader or get really involved but a little bit of participation would be good!

The best and worst thing about the situation is that all the kids benefit, even though if their parents don't help.

That's good because it isn't the kids fault that their parents can't be bothered. They are all lovely kids and deserve the best experience possible.
 And it's bad because it would be very satisfying to tell a parent (who has just told you there is no way they would sell fundraising chocolates and resent being asked) that their child won't be able to watch a duckling hatch. And yes, I do know that is mean spirited but you wouldn't believe how rude some parents can be!

Mmm, perhaps this post should be called eight percent of people do everything and two percent do absolutely bloody nothing. And everyone in the middle helps a bit (which is all anyone needs to do, and completely fine!!!).

Are you a join-er-in-a-ra when it comes to your kid's activities??