School

People keep asking how Olivia is doing with school, and it's about time I updated my blog.  Olivia is not even 2 so I have a hard time calling this "school," but for lack of a better word I will do so.  Last Thursday was her first day at The Weekday School.  She had a great time and her teacher mentioned that Olivia seems to be strong on empathy, coming close to a child who is crying and after he's settled down OJ will go back to whatever she was doing.  On the first day of class they did finger painting, something I don't care to clean up at home but am more than happy for her to experience elsewhere.  Next on my list of sewing projects is a (better than theirs) smock/apron as my friend Trice and I were less than successful at washing out the paint from the girls' clothes.  Trice's daughter Ellie is in Olivia's class along with two other kids between 1 and 2 years old.  There is an assistant teacher, which makes for a really good ratio if you ask me.  There's a bathroom in the classroom and a walled-in playground just outside the door.  (Olivia likes to run away at the park playground, which is really dangerous with cars around.  Freaks me out.)  Today was another good day at school.  It's 5:20 and she is just waking up from her afternoon nap (normally she gets up around 4), so I consider that to mean she got her wiggles out this morning.

So if I stay at home and Olivia is 1, why is she in school?  Well, first of all I actually work from home.  I have a successful home-based business and it's a wonderful creative outlet, so I want to keep it going.  Naptime is not enough to do that and take care of the house and run errands and maintain friendships. Second of all, it's not full-time daycare, it's two mornings a week.  Steve travels a lot for work, so by the end of a typical week of being the only parent even in the evenings, I am ready for some relief.  Third, I think there are important things kids learn from being around other kids (siblings, usually) and I think it's great to have teachers who know a thing or two about early childhood education.  Not that I want Livi to learn everything there is to know in life before she starts kindergarten, but it doesn't hurt to learn how to share. 
Feel free to share your thoughts.  What we do isn't right for everyone, so please don't think I'm on a soapbox.  I'm just filling you in on what's new with us.  And now I need to go make dinner as the voice coming from the next room is saying, "Mama, where are you?"  She's a little person.  Here's a photo with her Grandma & Poppy in NY over Labor Day weekend...