L had her first day of preschool today. It’s a parent-and-me program, but it’s run by the same group, the Pacific Science Center, who run the preschool program she’ll attend next fall. For the moment, it’s only 90 minutes once a week, which, given that I have to attend with B, is for the best. Like the preschool program next fall, it has a large outdoor component, so I wasn’t thrilled when it started raining half an hour before we were due to leave. Keeping all three of us warm and dry is not completely trivial. However, a good (if exhausting on my part) time was had by all, and I’m really pleased with everything. The teachers were young and enthusiastic. (I know this group gets at least some Teach for America volunteers, which I think is kind of cool.) There were two teachers for only four students so yeah, great ratio. We spent about half the time outside walking through the slough where the program is based, and L is not the only one learning things. I was learning as well. The theme was things that grow – what is alive, what isn’t, what belongs in the outdoors, and so on. Despite the rain and the baby, I enjoyed our walk through the woods. Goretex certainly helped.
Tomorrow, L will have her first swim lesson at the Y. It’s a busy week!
In the meantime, I’m contemplating starting a new quilting project. I am stalled on L’s baptism gown until Wednesday, and we finally submitted our federal taxes today. (Thank God that Washington does not have state taxes. I might be forced to end it all.) After two weeks of waking up four times a night, B is finally over her cold and has only woken once the past two nights. L has been sleeping well also. Life is good! On that note, I’m contemplating and around-the-world quilt. I am inspired by two quilts by my current favorite quilter, Blue Elephant Stitches. The two quilts are this one and this one. I really like both of them, but I have more fabric to suit the pastel style, so that’s likely the approach I’ll take. I’m thinking a rainbow theme, which is rather juvenile, but I have a baby in mind, so it’s all to the good.
I have never heard of parent-and-me preschool! That sounds like a lot of work. 🙂 I assume the one in the fall is kid-only?
Almost all preschools for the 2-3 year olds in this area are with a parent or guardian. Most true preschools here start at age 3 in the Fall, so L wouldn’t have been old enough last year. I think it’s related to state laws regarding helping kids use the bathroom. You have to be certified to do that and most preschools aren’t. Some preschools that are also daycares will take 2-year-olds, but they’re really set up as daycares primarily for that age group.
Anyway, yes, the preschool L is going to in the Fall does not involve parents.
OMG. You have to be certified to help a kid to the bathroom. Sigh. And this is how helicopter parenting starts at 2 years old.
Requiring certification is maybe a kind of liberal state thing, Becca. We require all kinds of certifications and licenses here. For example, in the great state of WA, it is effectively illegal to nanny-share, because you’d have to certify your house as a daycare facility. (I’ve read the requirements – they are prohibitive.)
Ah, I can kind of see the potty training aspect. Emma goes to a daycare, obviously, so things are different, but potty training comes into play there. They can’t move up to Room 6+ (which corresponds to ~3 years old ) if they aren’t potty trained…but I think that’s just their requirement, not because of any sort of certification issues.