After the first of September (as I wrote here), the second one came unexpectedly. Unexpectedly, because all my thoughts and emotions were focused on the first day of the autumn month. It seemed to me that how it will pass will depend on how Alice will continue to learn. It was all very ambiguous and then came the weekdays. It turned out that Alice now has two briefcases, one we bought ourselves, and the second was given to her at school (unexpectedly, but pleasantly). I didn’t buy the office in advance, because I remembered the time when the older child was still at school. Depending on the teacher and school, we then bought the same notebooks with the entire class, then any that we liked, then discounted and the parents ‘ Committee was engaged in the purchase. So I reasoned that what the teacher says, we’ll buy it. Moreover, on August 31, my class teacher called me and said that she would give me a list of what to buy from the office. And so, on the first evening, we started to collect the briefcase. There wasn’t a list yet, so we built it based on logic. We checked my son’s old stocks and found notebooks in a cage and in a large ruler, and in an oblique ruler, and, of course, covers on them. Pens, pencils, paints and other small things at home are always in abundance, there were no problems with this. It turned out that I had forgotten about the diary. Somehow the idea of buying it slipped my mind. Not very upset, I decided that we will buy later. So, the briefcase is ready, school clothes (there is no uniform at school, but the white top and dark bottom are mandatory) are ready, and my daughter is also, like, ready.
In the morning, I did not repeat the mistakes of the previous day and we left dad at home. I already firmly believe that Alice’s dad is fun, joy, entertainment, and my mother is a clinic, school, work and responsibilities. While we were driving, and we have about an hour to go, the school is located 30 km from Anapa, I kept thinking about how she would go to school. I remembered how we used to get used to kindergarten (by the way, this is written here), how for two weeks several tens of meters passed with screams and crying, I really did not want to repeat it.
At the gate of the school, and it should be noted that the school grounds are fenced, the gate opens on a call to security, Alice was calm and did not show the desire to cry. Calmly got out of the car, reached the gate and then the voice of the security guard stunned me with a statement that parents are not allowed on the school grounds. Alice went and stood behind the fence, waiting for me. I tried to tell her to keep going, but my explanation passed her by. Then I followed her, assuming that she wouldn’t go alone just because she didn’t know where to go yet, and I held the gate so that it wouldn’t close. A guard was already waiting for us on the porch, telling me that he would definitely not let me in. I calmed down the law enforcement officer, saying that I do not plan to go, brought Alice to the porch and told her to go up, where she was met by a teacher (not ours, however, but promised to bring her to class) so I went back to the car. By the way, what surprised me was that all the specialists I met later during the week near school or at school (on the fifth school day I was already quietly allowed to go to school at the request of the teacher) told me about how Alice gets used to it. And the impression of the people who work here is the most pleasant.
The next day, remembering that I would not be allowed on the school grounds, I sent Alice out of the gate along with the high school students who so conveniently came to class. With the boys in tow, she calmly walked to the porch and went inside. I shot this moment on video and almost cried from what an adult and independent daughter became. The third day of classes was marked by the fact that Alice went through the gate herself and calmly reached the porch and her office. In General, the calm and very positive way she started going to school makes me very happy, firstly, because I don’t have to persuade her, drag her to the accompaniment of her screams and crying, come up with some encouragement, etc., and secondly, because it means that she likes it there and feels comfortable in school.
We have three people in the class. There are also three students in the second class, so they were combined in one office. Each child has their own program, depending on their skills and abilities, but the lessons on the schedule are the same. Of course, first-graders have their own, second-graders have their own. Alice is still staying for 2-3 lessons, getting used to it. There are two non-speakers: Alice and her classmate. The other guys speak, in my opinion, very well. I managed to go to class once and chat with the guys from the second grade, they have a very good, clear and logical speech. In addition, I was introduced to a boy from the fifth grade, who also came to school non-speaking, his progress is excellent, swallowing the end, a little confused, but quite understandable, he spoke to the class teacher. I, however, react a little coolly to such examples, because all children are different and everyone’s diagnoses are different and everyone has their own path. From believing in such examples and the desire to transfer them to my situation, I was cured by the time when good acquaintances, friends, relatives, and even unfamiliar people tell me how their brother, matchmaker, or neighbor’s child also did not speak for a long time, and then how he spoke, I really want to believe it, but everything is different. It is wonderful that there are such examples, but it is very dangerous to rely only on them, lulling your feelings and fears, you can miss the time or take off your rose-colored glasses too late and accept the child without looking at others as it is will be much more difficult.
But back to school. On the second or third of September, Alice started crying after the first two lessons, the teacher tried to calm her down, distract her, but keep her within the schedule, but this did not help. On the fourth, she was allowed to go home after the third lesson and was quite happy. On the seventh (Monday), the teacher invited me to class for a conversation. She was very worried that Alice didn’t eat at school. Since this is a boarding school and many children are there from Monday to Friday, they are often fed there. First the first Breakfast, then the second, lunch, dinner. Alice only comes to class and only gets two breakfasts. Our teacher tried to feed Alice, to which the latter reacted extremely negatively, although I warned her before the start of school that this should not be done, she first needs to get used to the situation. Once again we discussed this situation, I explained that my daughter has a very good and hearty Breakfast in the morning, that it is not necessary to force her, her diet is limited, she takes new dishes and products extremely poorly, it is stressful for her. We agreed that they would not force her, as she Matures for food at school, so she will Mature. In addition, we discussed that it is still difficult for her to sit out 4-5 lessons and we will limit it to 2-3 until she adapts. In the near future, more classes with a psychologist, speech therapist and speech pathologist will begin. We already met a speech therapist in one person when she tested Alice in the spring and I really liked her, and we are looking forward to her classes. The defectologist will start working only on September 15, so we are still waiting, then I will write about our impressions.
In General, the first seven days of school life were much better than I imagined. Not without difficulties, but who does not have them. Most of all, I am happy that Alice enjoys going to school, that there are excellent specialists and very sincere people working there.