Cooper's new school

Ever have those times with your kids where you are more anxious/scared about something than they are?  Well, that was me last week when Cooper started his new preschool.  He has been looking forward to January for quite a while, because he knew he was starting his new school in January.  Not that he didn’t love his old in home daycare, he did, but he just got excited at the thought of starting big boy school, which is EXACTLY what we wanted!  His girl-friend from the previous daycare, Hayden, was also starting at the new school on the same day, which we knew would make the transition much easier. 

He was supposed to start on January 2^nd, and he did, he was there for that day only last week due to him being sick on Thursday and us going south for my dad’s surgery on Friday.  Anyway, that was probably a good thing, because his teacher was on vacation last week and there was a substitute, so that meant more adjustments, thankfully, he didn’t have that much yesterday since he was there only one day last week. 

When we brought him in yesterday morning, we finally got to meet his teacher, Mrs. Marilyn.  She is a very sweet lady and we know she’ll take good care of our boy.  She works from 6:30 am until midafternoon, at which time another caregiver comes in so that the teachers can go home.  Miss Ellen is his teacher for the last part of the day, where they mostly play and read books.  They do the “school” part when Mrs. Marilyn is there. 

We knew the teacher wouldn’t be there when we picked him up yesterday, but we had completely forgotten about his “cubby” where any paperwork they did during the day would be.  When I remembered it this morning, I checked, and she had written us a note!  She answered all of my questions and I’m so glad to know he did pretty well.  When I talked to her this morning, she said he only cried when she was laying out their cots for naptime before lunch.  He thought that he had to take a nap at that time and he just wasn’t ready yet.  Once he knew he got to eat lunch and had more time before naptime, he was fine. 

About lunch, Cooper might be THE pickiest eater I have ever seen.  That boy will not touch most food given to him by anyone.  We’ve got to break him of this habit, and pretty quickly.  I’m getting tired of specializing a dinner just for him! 

Cooper has met at least one boy who is not in his class that he really likes.  Jacob.  Jacob is in the next class up and Cooper LOVES him.  He talks about him constantly so far.  I’m hoping that he’ll bond with a few others, and it looks like from Mrs. Marilyn’s note, that he is working on that. 

He was hesitant about leaving me this morning when I dropped him off, but I know he’ll do just fine after I leave, there was no crying, so that definitely helps! J 

How have your transitions to new daycares/preschools been with your kids?  Have they handled it well?  Any tips for me?