Saturday 6 January 2018

One-week-old new school

Finally, on Tuesday 2 Jan, Kai and Yang went to their new school!

In their new uniforms


Mum and I worked out an arrangement such that each of us would go to BP once a day. She will send them in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and pick them up every Tuesday and Thursday, whereas I do the opposite. But for this first week, we took the time to familiarise ourselves with the routine and route.

On the train to school on the first day


It was about 8.15 am by the time we got to school. After the photo check-in and handing over to teachers amid some chaos coz we weren't the only newbies that day, it was circle time and they didn't have their usual second breakfast in school.

Happy to introduce himself and his younger brother


Moving from a big circle to a tight circle


When they got into the big circle, a boy about Kai's age sat next to him and they exchanged a few words. I didn't hear of course. But the boy was squeezed out when they moved into the tight circle. And this happened:

"I stare at you"


"ROOOAR!"


Ok, dinosaur phase...

They seemed ok so I bade them goodbye and left at about 8.40 am. Kai's teacher happened to came out from inside and we spoke a little - she would only take K2 until the K2 teacher came. I was with the admin outside but could see the principal starting on bible reading as she wrote a line on the board. In fact, today, Kai was singing something about god giving him everything and amen!

I took a bus to work. It was a 45-min journey!

I met Mum at Holland at 5 pm to fetch them at the end of the day. As we turned into the carpark, Kai's Teacher L called me to update me on his first day as she was leaving already. So he was playful during outdoor and she had to set rules for him - trust him to be so at home already! But he was focused in class, which was great!

But he cried twice in the afternoon. Once coz tea was green bean soup and he didn't like it. Of course he had never had it in his last school which was predominantly angmoh! Teacher L asked him to take three scoops, and he asked her why she was forcing him to eat! Then, he cried when he thought two kids were laughing at him. Teacher L investigated and found that the two were just playing next to Kai. My boy was too sensitive *hugs*

I saw Yang's teacher when I was getting him. She said Yang did well, no fussing. But he didn't like the green bean soup haha!!

We swung by their old school to pick Yu up, and reached home in good time.

The next day, Mum and I drove them to school. I didn't even bother to stay for a short while. They ran in like they lived there the whole time! I left work pretty early to catch the bus to fetch them. I tried to do some work on the bus but ended up being car sick. I got the boys and grabbed a car back to fetch Yu and go home, feeling car sick all the way.

From Thursday, Mum and I went solo. I sent them by train and Mum got them by car. I was going to walk Yu home but they came back early and picked me up to go via the school. Yesterday, Sito and I drove Yu to school and came back just in time for Mum to drive his brothers to school.

I had a little scare in the afternoon when I saw a call from the school! Turned out that it was Kai's teacher who wanted to ask me to send her a few photos of Kai in the past few years and bring an empty jam bottle to school for an activity. Phew! She also included this in his communications book - and incidentally, their comms books are A5 and created by the school, and there is a proper protocol to place it on a tray every day when we get there! Stress ah, means I must check it more regularly and more frequently than every couple of weeks!

Anyway, at the end of the day, I decided to try taking the train from office to BP - two changes but well worth it! Fast and no carsickness! But I found Yang with wet eyes. So he had been naughty and was pulled out from play by his Chinese teacher. She explained to me and said that he seemed ok after a cry. We went home by cab as usual and grabbed Yu along the way.

Today, Kai and Yang stayed at home in the morning coz it's just too much hassle to bring them all the way to BP. We went for breakfast at the hawker centre after sending Yu to school. Yang didn't like toast but loved his warm Milo. Kai had a lot of toast *.* Then we went by the mini playground with the animal rides. Kai used to play them a lot last time. Now they are really old and creaky.

Yang didn't want to go home so I distracted him with bugs and ants along the winding pathway leading to our block. They were so interested! It was so cute to see two little people squatting there looking at bus! I forgot my phone so no pictures, but I'll hold the moment dear :)

So we survived the first week at the new school! So glad that they are both adapting well :) Next will be Yu in April - hope he adapts well too!

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