Just Me and a Couple of Chickens

In mid-August, Lola experienced her first day of preschool.

I was just going to post a photo of her, but then I felt the need to write about the pre-preschool stuff, because like a lot things that involve this little girl, the back story has to do with me and how mothering has made me even more neurotic than I was before Lola. And of course, it has taken me months to actually sit down and write. So here you go, a photo.

There are a few more below. Feel free to scroll through my ramblings to see them. I won't be offended.

Anyway, where was I? I suppose this story really started many months before the first day of school.

Months and months ago, Josh and I began to discuss what sort of preschool we would like Lola to attend. While we knew that we wanted her to experience two years of preschool before kindergarten, we were unsure of what sort of setting we wanted her to be in. I began to talk to co-workers and friends with older children.  The more I listened, the more I learned, and the more overwhelmed I became because I quickly realized that there are several different types of preschool environments.  Each one seemed to claim that it is the best way to teach a child, and everyone seemed to agree that you should put your child in the environment in which she learns best, but until you put your child in an actual preschool environment, how do you know which way is the best way your child learns? And then, what if you put her in the wrong environment, and that environment doesn't work, and you need to change schools, but your next choice is full, and then fast forward 15 years, your kid doesn't qualify for any financial aid and you're stuck with a $40,000 annual college tuition bill. THERE IS A LOT RIDING ON THIS ISSUE. 

Next time I complain about not being able to sleep and I blame it on Lola, please quietly email this post to me with the subject line: It's your own fault, worrywart.

 In order to resolve this issue, I resorted to my favorite problem solver of all time, the list. First, I made a list of the things that were important to me:

Outdoor play
Affordable tuition 
Balance between "structured academics" and open creative play
Diversity
Experienced teacher


For a while, I was set on sending Lola to a Spanish immersion school, where the entire school day is taught in Spanish.  (Josh nixed this idea when we learned the school was an in-home program, which was something he was not comfortable with.)  Then, I began to lean toward a Montessori school, but when they increased their tuition rates for the school year, it was no longer within our budget.

We finally settled on a co-op school in our neighborhood. This co-op is ran through our local Parks Department and the school program requires parents to volunteer a set number of hours in the classroom each month, as well as expects the parents to perform other specific classroom duties.  (Josh volunteered to be the "laundry" parent, which means he is in charge of washing the kitchen towels, and other various clean up towels used each week. I'm the "preschool librarian" which essentially means that I am in charge of the monthly Scholastic Book Club orders.) The teacher follows a Love and Logic approach, and I think the classroom can be best described as a Montessori-Waldorf hybrid.

This co-op has a reputation of being difficult to get into, and at the tour we took back in February, I was told that in order to get your child admitted, it was necessary to sign-up on the first day of registration. Given that I've heard stories about people camping outside elementary schools in order to get priority kindergarten registration, I took this tidbit of info from the tour and stuck it to my mental Pinterest board titled, "I'll do Anything for my Child."

Fast forward to April, and there I am on registration day, standing outside the Parks Department Building at 6:30 A.M. The office is set to open at 8:00 AM, and other than meeting the Parks maintenance man (who's day I learned began at 5:30 AM), it's just me and a couple of the wild neighborhood chickens. I fully expect a large line to form, one that would wrap around the building, so I wait.

At 6:45, I go back to my car to get a jacket. At 7:15, I pull out my cell phone and start texting friends who might be on their commute to work. At 7:45 AM, still alone, I realize just how crazy I am. At 7:55 AM, employees begin to pull into the parking lot and I feel a way of ridiculousness wash over me, as I quickly hide my book in my purse. One of the women invites me inside.  "Have you been waiting very long?" No, not at all, I tell her. I quickly register Lola for school, and then leave, hoping that I won't have to come back to the office any time soon.

Later, I find out that my craziness was worth it, as the returning children received priority registration, and Lola is only one out of four new children in the class.

So far, being that we are now almost two months in, we are pleased with our choice. As far as my list goes, the only area lacking is diversity, but given the demographics of our neighborhood, that isn't entirely surprising.  Lola loves school, and when she comes home she excitedly shares stories about the friends that she has made, the things she has built, the many many puzzles she has put together (our girl loves puzzles!), and is always pulling some sort of crazy craft project out of her backpack.

What has surprised Josh and I the most about our experience with our community-based school, is just how much of a community it is. Rarely do we leave the house and not run into someone we know. We still go to the same parks, the same library, the same grocery store, as we did before, but now when we go, we hear, "Lola!" and then turn to see a smiling parent with child in tow. As Lola is making friends, Josh and I are beginning to form friendships too, and that feels really good.