RJ begged me to get the pool out in the backyard, and I agreed it would be fun. The kids were good while I blew up the pool and filled it up. But, the clouds arrived while we were putting swimsuits on. But, it was still plenty warm and we enjoyed almost 45 minutes before the water got too cold.
(I'm sill playing with the photo software on the iPad. This effect is called "aqua" with some playing with the brightness.)
(I'm sill playing with the photo software on the iPad. This effect is called "aqua" with some playing with the brightness.)
Now for the major bummer... I checked in with the on base preschool this morning and received BAD news. Despite being on the wait list for 5 months, signing up before RJ even turned 3, we are still number 25 on the wait list. They've already selected the one afternoon class and the one morning class for the year. They don't think they'll be able to get enough staff to open up another classroom, so the likelihood of RJ getting to go to preschool locally is very low.
I'm devastated. I need RJ to interact in a structured setting with kids his own age. I need a few hours a week for just Ryleigh and maybe 15-30 minutes for just me. I need someone else to be an authority--maybe RJ would listen better to someone other than me.
I'm incensed. The Navy goes through so much pain and requires that everyone here goes through health screenings so that they can ensure the hospital can provide any needed services. Why can't they do the same for education? They know how many people are here--it shouldn't be too hard to estimate how many school slots are needed. They do it for the elementary, middle, and high schools. They never say, "Sorry, there is a wait list for juniors." I know, I know. Preschool isn't required, while all the other grade levels are. But still, preschool is pretty commonplace these days. I don't think I'm expecting too much to have my child be in a preschool on the base while we are stationed here.
So, what to do? I have NO interest in sending RJ to a Japanese preschool. Japanese preschool works for a lot of families here, but it just isn't something we want for our kids. So, that leaves us with Hayama International. I'm just not sure RJ is ready for that kind of school. It is a full-day prekindergarten in English, complete with taking a bus and uniforms. The costs are unbelievable. We can afford it, but is it worth the cost to get RJ some playmates and give Ryleigh/me a break? Will the kid who had to hop out of the pool every five minutes during swimming lessons because he missed me be able to handle it? I just don't know. We have some research and thinking to do.
I've never thought of myself as a strong enough person to homeschool, and I certainly wouldn't do it in a structured way, but maybe that's what needs to happen--I develop a lesson plan and we sit down for a few minutes each day and focus on the plan. That doesn't achieve the social aspect that preschool brings, but at least RJ wouldn't be behind when we go back to the States and actually choose a preschool.
This is just further proof that we need to get back to civilization as soon as possible. I need choices again. I added crossed toes to my crossed fingers today that at least the kids and I will be Stateside a year from now, with RJ enrolled In a preschool I actually want him in, our furniture out of storage, and a Target within a reasonable distance.
I'm devastated. I need RJ to interact in a structured setting with kids his own age. I need a few hours a week for just Ryleigh and maybe 15-30 minutes for just me. I need someone else to be an authority--maybe RJ would listen better to someone other than me.
I'm incensed. The Navy goes through so much pain and requires that everyone here goes through health screenings so that they can ensure the hospital can provide any needed services. Why can't they do the same for education? They know how many people are here--it shouldn't be too hard to estimate how many school slots are needed. They do it for the elementary, middle, and high schools. They never say, "Sorry, there is a wait list for juniors." I know, I know. Preschool isn't required, while all the other grade levels are. But still, preschool is pretty commonplace these days. I don't think I'm expecting too much to have my child be in a preschool on the base while we are stationed here.
So, what to do? I have NO interest in sending RJ to a Japanese preschool. Japanese preschool works for a lot of families here, but it just isn't something we want for our kids. So, that leaves us with Hayama International. I'm just not sure RJ is ready for that kind of school. It is a full-day prekindergarten in English, complete with taking a bus and uniforms. The costs are unbelievable. We can afford it, but is it worth the cost to get RJ some playmates and give Ryleigh/me a break? Will the kid who had to hop out of the pool every five minutes during swimming lessons because he missed me be able to handle it? I just don't know. We have some research and thinking to do.
I've never thought of myself as a strong enough person to homeschool, and I certainly wouldn't do it in a structured way, but maybe that's what needs to happen--I develop a lesson plan and we sit down for a few minutes each day and focus on the plan. That doesn't achieve the social aspect that preschool brings, but at least RJ wouldn't be behind when we go back to the States and actually choose a preschool.
This is just further proof that we need to get back to civilization as soon as possible. I need choices again. I added crossed toes to my crossed fingers today that at least the kids and I will be Stateside a year from now, with RJ enrolled In a preschool I actually want him in, our furniture out of storage, and a Target within a reasonable distance.
Looks like lots of fun was had in the pool =) So sorry about the pre-school situation. I wonder if you could get together with some of the other Mom's on the wait list and make a pre-school of your own where each of you had all the kids for a couple hours one day a week. That would get the social goal met and the goal of taking direction from someone else for a couple hours. Just a thought. Also, are there military mom's there that run daycare/preschool that he might be able to go do 1-2 times a week? Good luck!!!
ReplyDeleteI hear you and believe me those thoughts have crossed my mind. Part of our problem is that I don't know a soul on the wait list. The other 3-year-olds (we only know 3--part of the hazard of being an older parent to younger kids while being a higher-ranking officer) we know already have arrangements or are choosing not to do preschool. I wish the wait list was public so we could connect. I've considered doing a meet-up group and advertising it on a few of the FB sites here to see if there would be any interest in forming a co-op. We would have to be careful, though, because the base has a ton of rules about things done in people's homes. And, honestly, I don't know if I really have it in me to do a co-op--I love my kids, but I don't necessarily love other people's kids. There could be a secret preschool run by moms, but I'm not aware of one that is approved by the base to be operating here.
DeleteThanks for the suggestions. I've got my eyes and ears out for alternatives to paying more than community college tuition for our child to go to preschool--I hope I come up with something!