This morning, armed with three bags worth of Gan supplies, Raphaela and I returned to the routine of the school year, along with almost every other parent in Israel. The head nursery teacher asked the parents to stay the entire morning and hang out in the corner, to be seen but not to hover; and so we mothers (especially those who knew each other from last year) hung out and caught up. Across the board, the parents admitted that as nice as it is to spend time with your child, Thank G-d for the return of sanity, and some free time as grown-ups.
It was an amazing sense of relief and joy to watch Raphaela walking around, on two legs instead of all-fours, as she had done until the end of the last school year.
Once Raphaela feels secure enough to be left at Gan, I will re-start my running program, using the track through the forest right behind the nursery school building. I ultimately plan on running the Jerusalem 10K next Spring, not to mention feeling toned again, for the first time in two years since the birth.
NEWS FLASH: The woman who was supposed to be the supervisor for Raphaela's group, one of the new hires, let the Gan know yesterday that due to "personal reasons," she would be unable to fulfill her role.
The most interesting innovation this year should be the post Jewish holidays mass toilet training. The head nursery teacher informed the parents that starting after Succot (mid-October), all the kids from the age of one and higher will be encouraged to drop their pants and toilet train together, following the Montissouri technique.
I know this route works especially well, though I have one reservation: Raphaela has only begun recently to explore her more private anatomy, and I hope that the Gan can maintain some decorum among the children regarding relative state of dress during this toilet training adventure.
We ended the day with friends from the States, for a relaxed meal at the restaurant at the Botanical Gardens; my one last gasp at Summer vacation before the move next week.
1 comment:
Decorum? Toilet training? Decorum is an adult construct, that doesn't really have any place in a child's context, especially during toilet training. The most effective way for a child to learn to toilet is to walk around naked and realize that stuff comes out of her body and that it needs into the appropriate place (the toilet)
OTOH, I would be more concerned that R is being trained before she is ready. After training 3 children, I'd have to say the later the better. I don't see any advantage to starting earlier. It only prolongs the process, until they can cognitively, emotionally and physically handle the task of going to the bathroom.
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