Life: Idiotropic

Happiness is finally here.

As all my school girls get settled into their traditional classes at their semi-traditional American-style schools, my youngest has finally agreed to be happy, giving me my fourth and final green light - something that I really needed as I struggled with my decision to put her into the German kindergarten and another looming decision to take her out with me another year.

But after almost three weeks, she's settled in and is quite happy.

Which is such a relief. The first three weeks were hard - very hard - on both of us. Partly because of the separation which was new for us both, and partly because of the cultural differences that we didn't expect.

Like this.... the kindergarten opened on the first Tuesday in August. Elise received a nice letter in the mail saying that her starting time was on Wednesday at 0945. I thought that was nice to stagger the new kids, so that they got extra attention, so we showed up prepared with all our supplies (rubber boots, house shoes, gym clothes, outdoor gear, and breakfast box). She ran in happy, then the teachers looked up at me and told me to pick her up in one hour. One? She should have had at least two until the noon pick up time. No, on the first day just one. She did great, so the next day she stayed for three hours. That day she cried three times (of course, it was her first long day away from me). She wasn't the only one. German kids by the handfuls were screaming, crying, and trying to run out of their classrooms to the front door. At least Elise was reasonably docile in her classroom. So, the next day, I left her. They called an hour later. She was crying and I needed to come get her.

Ok, so I'm used to the American system where you drop your kid off at the specified time and pick up at the end time and in between, the child can scream or cry and the teachers are fine because it's a phase and they learn that you will come back.

But, it was Friday and I couldn't argue, so I went and picked her up. They told me then that on Monday, I must stay with her. Huh? How is that going to teach her to be away from me? So I stayed one hour, and when I had to leave and Elise got upset, I was told to take her with me. The next day, I stayed for 20 minutes, then left. I was told that I could leave her for 30 minutes. Great - just enough time to load my dishwasher and come back. Wednesday I was able to leave her for 45 minutes. Both Thursday and Friday, she stayed for just one hour. The next week we slowly worked our way up to two hours and then three. Now I actually have come to some normalcy and last Thursday was the first day that she stayed at school and didn't cry. Now she runs in happy and runs out happy. Life is good and I'm putting those first trying, emotional packed weeks behind me.

Last year when Arianna went to the German kindergarten, they would occasionally have a breakfast together and each child would sign up and bring some element of breakfast (5 brotchen, slices of cheese or schinkenwurst, tomatoes, fruit, cucumbers, etc...). We always brought brotchen since I could stop at the bakery on the way to school and quickly pick them up - simple. And the kids would eat staggered like normal when they were hungry and when there was a place at the little table. Last week they had a breakfast in Elise' class. We brought brotchen as usual, but when we arrived, the teachers had pulled every table in the classroom together with all the chairs. A place for each child was set with a little glass plate, a ceramic cat mug, silverware (not plastic), flowers on the table, and nice glass pictures of chocolate milk, apple juice, and orange juice. The breads were sliced and put in baskets. Bowls of grapes, plates of cheeses, vegetables, meats, and sliced fruits were set out on the table. It was beautiful - worthy of a nice B&B. And it was just for the kids.

These are the cultural differences that I can learn to love. Breakfast at school - such a happy thing. Elise is part of a family there. It's nice.