Tuesday, October 7, 2008

First Day of School all over again



Here is my precious Jonathan. All dressed up and ready for his first day back up at Errol Hassell! Yes, we decided that the best course of action for Jonathan this year would be to attend our local school. Jonathan has been flip-flopping back and forth between home and Errol Hassell for some time now. I've had many discussions with him about it. He kept telling me he wanted to stay home. Well, the deeper we've gotten into the new curriculum the more I have just really disliked it. Jonathan was starting to struggle with it also. So we sat down yet again to discuss things with him and that's when we found out the real reason he has wanted to be home. He was just too scared of going up to the school and not knowing what to do. After assuring him that the principal was wonderful and that the teachers weren't going to leave him just floundering around he said he wanted to go back.
Big sigh here.
I, of course, as his mother have mixed feelings both ways. I couldn't let him continue with Connections, it just was not working for either of us. If I kept him home we would have looked for another program to go through which would have just wasted precious study time. I also know Jonathan is a very social kid. He loves to be around people. I also know he was having a hard time seperating my "Mom" role with that of "learning coach". However, sending him up to Errol Hassel means I won't see him as often. I very much enjoy having the kids around me during the day. I need my breaks like any other mom but for the most part I love having them near me. I was sad to think I would not see him during the week days for school hours. Though, after seeing how excited he was yesterday and today I know we made the right decision for him. Jonathan saw Nathan, a friend from church, in the hall yesterday when we went to register him and after he told Nathan he was coming back Nathan got this huge smile on his face and gave Jonathan a bear hug! That just made Jonathan even more excited and less scared about trying something new.

So I sit here today missing his presence very much. Amazingly our home is very quiet. I think I've discovered who the general noise maker is in our family :)

I have also just received an email from his new teacher assuring me that he has settled right in. Rob told me the first thing she did was to seek out kids in her class that she knew could show him the ropes. She told me in her email there were several children who were so excited to help him out. I like her already though we have not officially met :) I can't wait to see him at the end of the day and learn of his new adventure in schooling!
Who wouldn't miss this cheeseball?

3 comments:

Hesses Madhouse said...

You're going to think I'm an idiot, but I cried when I read this. Especially the part about running into Nathan in the hall. I hope Jonathan loves it. Good for you! I know this wasn't an easy decision.

1000 Miles in 2021 said...

I am impressed with your simple desire to have your child learn. In this day and age we need to do what is right by them-- might not be right be others, but the child at hand is what is important.

Also, the noise thing- I laughed.

Deanna said...

Oh Christy, I think that I can honestly say that I know exactly what you mean and how you feel in this post(made me cry). It is hard, and so bitter sweet too. I know I struggled with the same decision, yet Nathan is really enjoying the social aspect of school and he is happy being there. But yes, I too miss having him around all day :( It helps to know that he was there to help Jonathan feel good about being back! :)