Second Week @ "School"

This week, Ning's having more fun and some food at "school".

Though this is only the second week she's in child care, Mummy's learnt to let go more. I spied on her at meal times, and found she was getting on fine with the other children. The teacher even told me something amusing. She was "cooking" with the toys and offered her friends the food she made, and they "ate" them :) The teachers, as I was told, were hiding and peeping at this game as they were so amused.

Ning may be the youngest toddler in the playgroup, but she's making waves. She's got a sweet smile and she says words that some of the slightly older children don't even know yet. Mummy wrote as much about her in the little communication booklet as I can, holding back, in case the teachers found it too long winded. And I think that it helps, because now, I can see the teachers see her in a different light.

Today, before the children can eat, the teacher told them, as usual, to "put your hands on your lap", and say, "Join us teachers, join us friends. Lao shi qing chi, Da jia qing chi." The latter is Mandarin for, "Teachers, please tuck in, everyone, please tuck in." And I can hear the teacher sound so surprise and loudly said, "Very good, Ning can say already!"  I must say, I learnt this phrase and repeated it to her only twice at dinner time. She must've caught on pretty quickly.

I went to feed her at lunch today, and skipped feeding at tea time, because yesterday, I saw her eat the biscuits and dipped them into the milk. I still went to sneak a peek, and she was cheerfully pulling the cheese out of the bread and biting off tiny pieces. At lunch, she's already eaten half a bowl of the mushroom spaghetti by the time I arrived. Still, she had a little breast milk and was pulling toys off the shelf to play with already, until it was her shower time.

At my lunch time, I stole a peek on my way back, and she was sleeping with the rest of the children.

At knock off, she was on the "bus" (a 6 seater push chair), pointing to things and saying things. When she saw me, she wanted "off" immediately. And asked for milk on the sofa.

Another teacher told me, that she was quite amused that such a young age, she can choose. She was asked, "Do you want to call Papa? Do you want to call Mummy?" And guess which she chose? Mummy! Hahaha, smart girl!

I was concerned that the school didn't really have any curricula for the groups below kindergarten levels, which was 5 and 6 years old and was going to suggest enrichment classes in-house. Then, I received a letter from the Principal that they are reviewing the curricula in a partnership with the Little Skool House International! They'll be briefing us on 1 Jun! And doing some minor renovations come August! Hurrah!

My little girl IS going to learn more than independence in this "school" after all!

I just hope soon!