Ok, i have to admit, since i found out about Lucas` arrival, i have been panicking a little. Mostly it`s whether i can deal with 2 boys at home...especially in the early stages of newborn. Yes babies sleep alot and jus feed...but NOT ALL babies. Besides, i will be so tired from all that interrupted sleep. So i thought, it`s time to send Gabe to a fullday nursery, not everyday, but maybe 2-3 times a week so i have at least some time to Lucas & myself. It breaks my heart, trust me, but i do not want to become one of those stay-at-home moms who suffer from depression, wears ratty clothes for the whole week coz they can`t find the time to do the laundry, whose hair looks like it could do with a good wash and whose contact with the outside world is stepping on the balcony to retrieve clothes or maybe to consider jumping off the balcony.
So, Gabe dearest, sorry, Mummy has to win this round. But also, not just to make myself feel better, i do feel Gabe is ready to mix around more with friends his own age. Sometimes, you just know when your child reaches a certain stage and Mummy`s company is just not quite enough, especially when Lucas comes along. So, some of the signs Gabe showed to prove he is ready for the next step:
1) He grabs the chance to take whatever pen/pencil there is and proceeds to draw on walls and especially the floor.
2) When you have to dig through kitchen cabinets to find something for him to play with and even then, he gets bored of it like in 1 minute. Obviously, interesting stuffs like knives and scissors are No Nos.
3) Everytime he sees you sitting down, he takes his story books and brings it for you to read to him. And loves to see you point to this n that.
4) He is walking everywhere...and can start to open doors on his own, especially when at every minute he starts calling me `bah`...and if i do not answer, it gets louder until you do answer. And he can sense your presence walking out of the area even though you`re as quiet as a mouse. And closing the door doesn`t help...he can tip toe and pull the handle now...going down the hallway to find you..sighhhh....
5) When he can no longer play for long periods with his toys when last time he was so engrossed with them.
6) When he starts to think that Mickey Mouse & Friends are real...and that all other cartoons with children in it are scary...yes, he hates cartoons with children figures in it...I will not have my son think that all `Friends` should look like Mickey Mouse....
So i guess there`s more too his needs for socialising now, and the attention i can provide to him is no longer enough. So perhaps we`re making the right decision here.
Then comes to our search for a nursery school we feel would benefit him well. Not easy...so far we have tried calling 4:
Poppins Nursery
Sounds fancy huh?...well it does look the part too....and it`s perfect in a sense that it`s just like 15 mins walk from our apartment, so i can fetch and pick him up everyday. Plus, the teachers there are able too speak some level of English, and the nursery area looks spacious for kids to run around....Unfortunately, it is FULL..as in VERY FULL..the fulltime daycare has a waiting list of 100 students....the 50 hour a month package has a waiting list of 30 students...so in the end i registered Gabe for the 50 hour package. I think we`ll have to wait till like March next year for any space...Bummer..
Kids Duo
This one, in terms of location is also good, just behind our apartment, and they have a bus to send Gabe back...the downside is that this is either from 9.30am-1.30pm OR 2.30pm-6.30pm...for me, it`s pointless as it doesn`t give me much time at all. Plus, the building area is small, not much space for the kids to run around.
Global Kids
Also good, just behind our place, and fairly newish...we called and they told us waiting list is 60 students..and they only take in 16 students at a time for 2-3 yr old....yah, prob wait till end next year!!
My Melody
This one i have to take a train 4 stops away, not far. And walk 8 mins. But compared to the other 3, it`s the farthest..still no biggie if it`s twice a week..besides, it gives me a chance to exercise abit. And, the timing is from 7am-8pm...And they even have weekend daycare at JPY1,000 per hour on Saturdays if needed. Saw the building it`s a 3 storey building and there are many kids...
So out of those 4, we probably will go for #4 coz there isn`t much of an option at the moment. And hopefully by March next year Poppins will have space and we`ll transfer Gabe. So, tentatively Gabe will start on October 16th, twice a week, about 6 hours per time, on Wednesdays & Thursdays. Then maybe when next year if we`re still there, I`ll up the frequency to 3 times. But the thought of so many students there is scary...germs will be going around...time to feed him more vitamins.
And so...Gabe`s schedule will be pretty hectic:
Mon, Tues & Fri: 10am-2pm daycare half day at Wanpaku
Wed & Thurs: 9am-4pm daycare at Melody
I hope he adjusts well and not think that I`m pushing him away....
Think I myself am gonna take awhile adjusting to not having him at home for half the day everyday...
Mummy still loves you very much Gabe, hopefully this new arrangment suits us both ....you`re growing up..have fun!!
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