The first day was only 2.5 hours long. E walked in, hung his backpack on the hook marked with his name, slipped on his indoor shoes (okay, he had a little help from mom) and set about exploring his new space. He hit the trains first, then the cars and trucks, insisting all the while that his mommy play with him, that it was the rule. She was told, in no uncertain terms, that if she broke this rule, she would not be allowed to come back to his preshool.
Sadly there wasn't enough time for E to get his fill of play before the clean-up bells rang. This was a difficult transition for our little man, who's used to wheeling and dealing with the softies in his family to score a few more minutes of playtime and a helping hand with the putting away. Not so in preschool, where everyone is given a job and many little hands make light work. E's teacher cleverly used a game of eye-spy to get E to pitch in and afterwards he was putty in her hands for the reading of a school-aged classic, The Kissing Hand. But the magic couldn't last and soon the little bodies were wiggling off the mat, edging closer to the shelves of toys that were now closed. When the story ended, everyone lined up to wash hands and eat their snack. Not E. He defiantly told his teacher that he only ate snacks at home. She said that was a-okay, but if he wanted to play he'd have to settle for puzzles or books. All other areas were off limits. This was almost enough to bring E to tears, but thankfully mommy was there and willing to play a few puzzle games before convincing him he might feel better with a little snack in his belly. After snacks, the kids headed outside where the last sun of summer shone bright and warm. E played like a champion in the sandbox and the time just flew. In all too short a time, the kids were gathered for the good-bye song. E didn't want to leave. Despite the challenges of the new boundaries, the new authorities, the new rules, E was having himself a grand old time. It took a great deal of patience on his mommy's part to keep putting his boots on after he kicked them off and guide him gently home.
The last two days have presented new challenges for this family. E is adjusting to a world that won't always say yes to his demands and because of this he wants his parents to say yes more than they can, or should. Just yesterday, after waking from his nap, E told his mommy he was very sorry but the upstairs of their house was closed and they'd have to go downstairs to play. He is stretching and growing in a new way, a necessary way, but the process is slow, sometimes exhaustingly so. There's a lot of love in this little trio, though. They'll get through just fine.
