In about five weeks we will be making some BIG changes.
M had her speech evaluation that will determine what type of services she will get once she turns three. The SLP evaluating her did not even complete the articulation part of the eval since she had already heard enough of M's speech to know that it would be difficult for her and it was not needed to make a recommendation of...PRESCHOOL!
After her third birthday, M will begin attending a speech and language classroom in the county's developmental preschool. All preschools are (supposed to be) language rich, but in this classroom, M will be required to use words more than in a typical preschool. She will get speech therapy (hopefully individual and group) right there, and the teachers are experienced in helping children find their voices. It will be four mornings a week, and is about 35 minutes from our home (though I don't know the specifics).
I don't consider this to be official, but it won't be official until very close to the start of preschool when the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) is written. The SLP determined that preschool would be beneficial since she would need more than two half hour sessions of therapy per week to continue making good progress.
This is what we hoped for, but this is still so hard to grasp! We have many questions and really, it's just hard to imagine mornings with M away.
I don't quite understand the emotions I am feeling, but it's pretty bittersweet, as you might imagine. My baby is three years from kindergarten, yet she's going away to school...and not just in town...far away. We do know this is what is best for M, it's just hard to comprehend what our future will look like.
Of course there are also the questions of how to prepare her for preschool. Can you recommend some books that are appropriate for two/three year olds going to school? I seem to be familiar with books for older ones mostly. I know bedtime will need to change, too. I remember hearing to change it 15 minutes at a time. What do you think? We'll visit the preschool, but what else can we do to prepare both M and us (the parents) for this transition?
Any thoughts you might share with us are greatly appreciated! Thanks
9 comments:
I did a post here recommending a book and song for the transition to school. it is an adorable book and i REALLY recommend it... it really helped us
http://funwithmama.blogspot.com/2009/09/back-to-school-book-review.html
It's great that she is making so much progress. R has her first day of preschool today. She liked Maisy Goes to Preschool and D.W.'s Guide to Preschool. They are both geared toward younger children.
I don't have any advice or tips, but I just wanted to let you all know that I'll be praying for you through this change and transitioning. :)
Blessings and (((HUGS)))!
~Rachel~
Like you said with bedtime take it slow. Even though it is scary, change is a good thing. I am sure this preschool will give you ideas on helping with the transition and ideas for you to use at home with M. It will be hardest on you because I am sure she will love it. She won't understand she is working. It will all be play to her.
I will assure you though, your worries are normal and for myself, a control freak, would have just as much of a hard time with this as you are.
Like you said with bedtime take it slow. Even though it is scary, change is a good thing. I am sure this preschool will give you ideas on helping with the transition and ideas for you to use at home with M. It will be hardest on you because I am sure she will love it. She won't understand she is working. It will all be play to her.
I will assure you though, your worries are normal and for myself, a control freak, would have just as much of a hard time with this as you are.
The Kissing Hand. Super cute.
Just take it slow, and she'll be ready, talk about how fun it will be.
What exciting news! I'm so glad that things are working out the way that you hoped they would.
oh wow..such big changes! I really..really thought it would be harder than it has been. Kai actually told me to "go home mommy!" one day. But I finally realized that the fearful "socialization" has been what has helped him the most, and he wasn't getting it at home, even in playgroups. It's tough..you know that...but it IS the best thing for her, regardless of her age. You will see her grow in ways that you could not help with, so it will all be worth it! ((HUGS)))
Congratulations and brace yourself :) Different kids take this transition differently, but we had a lot of crying in the first couple of weeks of Anna's first preschool. Of course, she also was quite a bit younger - she started going at about 28 months. She took the transition to her new preschool rather well, even though she would still very much rather be home. I wrote some posts about preschool prep in the past - http://learningwithmouse.blogspot.com/2009/03/don-pretend-that-entering-preschool-is.html. It features the same book Cindy recommended - DW Guide to Preschool. Another book (simpler) that we read recently is "My Preschool" by Anne Rockwell. Good luck!
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