Preschool

March 1, 2011 - Sophia's first day of preschool!

Adam, and our best Chinese friend Jessica, took Sophia to school Tuesday morning. She is to arrive each morning at 8:00 a.m. We chose this particular school called "Heavenly Baby Preschool", because it is where Jessica's daughter Rui Rui (Ray-Ray) attends and Sophia and Rui Rui are good friends. Sophia is 3 and Rui Rui is 4, so technically Sophia should be in the 3-year-old class, but the school said it was okay to put Sophia in Rui Rui's class, so we were thankful for that. Sophia's a tall girl anyway, so she fits in fine with the 4-year-olds.

I then pick Sophia up at noon. It's quite a trek getting back and forth. I have to load Elise up, but not into a car seat in my mini van, but into the backpack. We then go down our apartment steps (thankfully we live on the 2nd floor, not the 8th), down the steps of the school yard, down the steep driveway, across a busy road, across the railroad tracks, and through a narrow alley to reach the bus stop. Then we hop on bus #4, pay 1 Yuan (15 cents) and go 2 stops. We get off the bus, play like the game "Frogger" as I cross 4 lanes of busy traffic with no cross-walk lights to help us, walk down another alley and finally reach the school. (This gives you one example of why one of my mom's biggest realizations in visiting us was that she needs to pray even more for our safety!)

So back to Sophia and the preschool...(-: Her class has 3 teachers, one of which speaks some English so that is helpful. We're not sure yet how much it will interfere in one of our big goals of Sophia learning Chinese, but for now we're really thankful and deeply appreciate the help she gives Sophia. This week she's learned one new Chinese word - lao shi (lao sure) - which is "teacher."

The first day I armed Sophia and the teacher with little picture cards of things like a toilet, cup, children in a line, etc. so that they could communicate, but Sophia has lost 2/3 of the cards already and I don't think they were necessary. Communication about basic needs doesn't seem to be a problem, so that's good.

I'm not exactly sure what all they do, but the few things we have gotten out of Sophia is that she plays, plays with blocks, does exercises, watches shows, and eats delicious lunches. Two of the three days she's enjoyed the Chinese food lunch, so I was pleased with that. However, when they gave her water she did not like it because they drink hot water. So the next day I sent her with her own sippy cup of cool water so she wouldn't get thirsty.

She has yet to use the toilet. You see, they only have "squatty potties" which are just toilets in the floor. Sophia has never used one and is scared to. I've tried to practice with her and Rui Rui has even demonstrated for her several times. I guess one of these days she'll just have to give it a try and I'm sure she'll be fine. If not, I have two changes of clothes in her backpack.

The teacher who speaks English has told me that the three teachers all like Sophia so much and that she's a very good girl. Of course I like to hear that! As for friends, she said that yesterday she stood next to her new friend who is a girl while doing exercises. Then today she said she sat next to a friendly boy at the table while eating lunch.

Needless to say, we're really proud of Sophia for her bravery, but she doesn't see it that way really. She just thinks this is her normal life.