Back to School

I had last Tuesday off work to go to school for the morning with our 4 year old daughter. It was to give us a feel for what her days are like and also so she can show off a bit.

Being so young there is not much school work given, it's more like structured play. A register is taken, not by calling out names but by the kids picking up a laminated card with their names on it and putting it in a box. Any left over means there not in. Of course the teacher takes a more formal head count but this is a bit of fun for the kids and helps them recognise their names in written form.

Then they go through the plans for the day using picture cards pinned on the wall, the pictures represent different activities; like an apple for breaktime.

We stayed until just after their mid-morning playtime. Our little one skinned her knees (again) whilst running. Whilst she was being cleaned up by her Mum, I played hide and seek with her friend, M, and a few others. M knows me from outside school too so she was happy to play.

M and I were hiding behind the big tyre that had a group of boys sitting on it. One of the boys came up to me and said, "'Scuse me but can you stop Tristan crying? He's really sad."

I looked over and saw a little lad breaking his heart over something, it had to be Tristan. "Tristan, what's the matter?"

"Sob, sniff. Oliver pulled my hair. Sob, sniff."

The little boy who had asked me for help turned out to be Oliver, "But I said sorry," he looked at his feet then added, "And I smoothed his hair out again."

Don't encourage him, try not to laugh. I asked Tristan if he wanted to play hide and seek. That stopped the tears pronto, just in time for the end of play bell.