Two graduations for Rosy
Rosy’s first drop-off preschool ended in June. Enchanted Garden was a sweet little Waldorf program for two and three year olds, in Jacqueline Houston’s home and run solely by her. She went two mornings a week. I’s mostly play-based, although they made bread once a week on Thursdays and had some other project on Fridays. After a bit of a rough patch early on, Rosy seemed to enjoy it pretty well. I liked it too, the environment and the teacher and the other kids, and I felt really good about sending her there.
But I was a little surprised to get her “report card” at the end–it mostly said she lives in her own world, and doesn’t listen at all. Now, I can easily believe that she does her own thing instead of always participating in what the other kids are doing. That’s just her personality, she observes before she acts. But she does listen. In fact, for a two year old she is a *great* listener. Why would she ignore Jacqueline? I still don’t know. Maybe the environment was too chaotic so she withdrew. Maybe it’s a pattern that got set when she started (she was barely two) and never changed. Anyway, it made me glad she going to a Montessori based program next year where she’ll have a lot of individual attention; I think it will suit her personality to a T.
Rosy in the Enchanted Garden
Her other “graduation” was from her first real gymnastics class: i.e., the first class I didn’t have to attend with her. She had Coach Tara at the Seattle Gymnastics Academy and she is just wonderful. At first Rosalind was a little nervous about leaving me but soon enough she was completely comfortable, and what a kick it was to watch from the bleachers as she did her little girl things without me! This class is how I know she’s really a good listener, not just from her interactions with me (but she does listen to me, too.) Her wide, serious eyes as she gazed intently at her coach were plain to see.
Straddle bat hang