In the last 2 days 3 members of our family managed to get a pretty nasty cold (Andrei, Anton and myself) so I guess that means that autumn is here :( Ilya and Chris are holding out for now.
As promised though, here is a story of how Anton started his school year. He is also going to a new place this year - it's much closer to our house, the price is much more reasonable and it's NOT Montessori. German kids go to kindergarten the year they turn 3 and until they are ready to start elementary school at 6. Despite the official sounding name, it is pretty much a daycare center with a bit of preschool mixed in but not much.
When Anton started last year at his old school they had this weird integration system and I wasn't sure whether it was a school thing or a German thing. This year I know it's a German thing. Every mom I talk to right now that has a 3 year old is going through this integration process. Somehow, I am the only one that thinks it's crazy though. In theory, Anton will have attend his kindergarten full day but it starts slow where on the first day he only goes for an hour and I have to stay with him, then slowly I get to leave for some time and he gets to stay longer. We are in the middle of the second week and today he stayed from 8:30 until noon. At this rate by the end of September, he might be able to go all day ... This system seems to be completely insane to me!
Another interesting tidbit is that in the entire kindergarten (which is not that big) Anton is the only kid that has a nut allergy. The teachers are a bit worried since the kids bring breakfast and snack and they have no idea whether they contain nuts. We are going to have a talk with the administration and ask if they can send a letter home stating that there is a child with allergies in the classroom, please be mindful. Also, kids usually stop napping around 3 years old here. Both of my older kids napped until they went to elementary school at 5. Anton seems ok without a nap until about 3 o'clock and then he either goes mental or if we are driving somewhere he falls asleep.
As promised though, here is a story of how Anton started his school year. He is also going to a new place this year - it's much closer to our house, the price is much more reasonable and it's NOT Montessori. German kids go to kindergarten the year they turn 3 and until they are ready to start elementary school at 6. Despite the official sounding name, it is pretty much a daycare center with a bit of preschool mixed in but not much.
When Anton started last year at his old school they had this weird integration system and I wasn't sure whether it was a school thing or a German thing. This year I know it's a German thing. Every mom I talk to right now that has a 3 year old is going through this integration process. Somehow, I am the only one that thinks it's crazy though. In theory, Anton will have attend his kindergarten full day but it starts slow where on the first day he only goes for an hour and I have to stay with him, then slowly I get to leave for some time and he gets to stay longer. We are in the middle of the second week and today he stayed from 8:30 until noon. At this rate by the end of September, he might be able to go all day ... This system seems to be completely insane to me!
Another interesting tidbit is that in the entire kindergarten (which is not that big) Anton is the only kid that has a nut allergy. The teachers are a bit worried since the kids bring breakfast and snack and they have no idea whether they contain nuts. We are going to have a talk with the administration and ask if they can send a letter home stating that there is a child with allergies in the classroom, please be mindful. Also, kids usually stop napping around 3 years old here. Both of my older kids napped until they went to elementary school at 5. Anton seems ok without a nap until about 3 o'clock and then he either goes mental or if we are driving somewhere he falls asleep.
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| This is what he looks like after kindergarten |
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