Today marks another milestone today for Brandon. He attended the pre-school class all by himself. We left home at 5 minutes to 9am and arrived at 9:10am. When we arrived at the school, we wished ‘Good morning’ to the teachers and excused to use the bathroom. On the way to the bathroom, we met Amy, another student in the class. She is very sweet. Then we went to the bathroom and I helped him with the pants. While in there, I told him I would come to pick him up after the class is done and he should stay to enjoy painting and doing arts with his friends and teachers.
After we came out from the bathroom, one of the teachers asked if Brandon wanted to do the Easter basket art for the day. And guess what? Brandon pushed me out the door. I was surprised! I informed the teacher that I would be in the car and if anything, just give me a ring.
I went to the car, and looked at my watch; it was 9:24am. I flipped my Reader’s Digest magazine I brought along with me just in case I have to wait for him in the car. I kept looking at my watch to check the time. I snacked in the car while reading too. After 30 minutes, my cellphone still didn’t ring. It was a good thing. But I didn’t know if I should leave and come back later or just stay. Well, I decided just to stay as I didn’t have anything planned to do or errands to run.
I just found out that staying in a stationary car for too long is not good for me. I had opened the windows for air circulation but I still got this in-car sickness. Even though the car is not moving, but I felt that it is. It was 10:25am so I decided to go out for a walk. I walked to the class and tried to peek inside but I had to be careful as I didn’t want Brandon to see me. Nope, I didn’t see a thing trying to be careful peeking inside. The window has a reflective tint so it was hard to see from bright sunny outside. I walked to the next building where they have the North Torrance Library. Its opening hours is from 11am to 5pm. But they had opened the side entrance for their toddler’s story time which began at 10:30am.
It was probably 10:40am when I left the library and walking toward the class. Then I saw the five kids in line getting ready to go the playground. It was just too cute. I snapped some pictures from far.
Then they walked to the park in order. I snapped more pictures.
Then I went to where my car was parked and snapped more pictures of Brandon. I practically zoomed to the max for these pictures.
He had a scoop in his hand and was scooping sand in the playground area. And the teacher was helping him with a bucket in her hand. Only found out later that they were scooping up the spiky thing that dropped from the tree. (Julia - I don’t have to pick up those things, he did it with the teacher … hehehe)
I was getting bored so I took a picture of the tree I was standing under. It looks like it needs some water.
While snapping away these pictures, for a moment, I felt my son has grown up. He is an independent boy now. And for that I giggled to myself (people walking around me must have thought I’ve gone crazy). I did well. He did well too.
I walked back to the classroom to wait for them to return. My watch said 10:54am. Then I peeked over the wall and saw him cleaning up and lining by the fence to return to class.
When they got to the front door, the teacher opened it and ushered them inside. My boy didn’t even pay attention that I was standing there. I giggled again here. He must have been having too much fun. A minute or so later, another parent came to wait with me. I believe he is Amy’s father. I heard them singing song from the outside and I peeked in the window, Brandon saw me this time. He was making noise, I could hear it. The teacher opened the door and he was there. I think he saw me and he wanted me. But it was OK as the class has ended then. I took him to the bathroom immediately. Then we came out and checked his box to see what’s there to bring back home. Some of the arts he did the previous week was in his box. We bid farewell to the teacher and left the school.
I like this pre-school very much. Can you imagine a student to teacher ratio of 2:1? Today there were only five kids there (class has six students total), plus two teachers and a parent assistant. 5:3 ratio. I like that the idea of how each student get more personal attention from the teachers. I am for sure be signing Brandon up for the next term, just hope they don’t close down this program at this location just because lack of participants. A normal class has 18 students to two teachers and two parent assistants.
On the way back in the car, I asked him what he did but he was singing to himself all the way home. I better make some plan for this coming Thursday so that I don’t have to sit in the car waiting for him.
