First day of Chickadees

On Tuesday, September 4, our vacation came to a close.  We had such a great week, just spending time together as a family. 

The boys were very spoiled on vacation - sleeping in, watching Mickey Mouse, a trip to the zoo, and of course fun time with their cousins.  So, getting woken up at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, they weren't very happy.  They insisted they weren't going back to Toddlers, and they were going to the zoo instead.

Obviously, we knew the daycare drop off wasn't going to be easy.  And they boys were right, they weren't going back to Toddlers - they were going to Chickadees.  A new room, new teachers, and a new drop off routine.  To say the least, it wasn't pretty.

We pulled up to school, and parked in front of the main door.  We opened the van door, and Miss Jessica came out to get the boys.  Lincoln started crying immediately, which then upset Jackson.  Miss Jessica came around the van and got Jackson out first, walked him over to the other side, and then took Lincoln out of the van.  They were both crying so hard, and I was trying to reassure them that everything was ok, but I was crying too.  It's so hard to be away from them all day after getting 10 whole days with them, and even harder when they were so upset!

As we drove away, I dried my tears, and quietly contemplated how we could make it work for me to be a stay at home mom. 

I called later to check on how they were doing, and Miss Sally assured me they were adjusting quite well.  Lincoln was having a hard time with things, but the staff was very sensitive, and worked hard to keep him involved with the group, and distracted from missing Mommy and Daddy.

My fears were relieved when we picked them up that night.  Both the boys greeted us with huge smiles, and lots of chatter on the way home about their first day at Chickadees.  They had lunch - a sandwich, salad, and apples!  Oh - and they took a nap too!  And they played outside with all their friends.

Dropoffs were rough all week long, but they got a little bit better each day.  By Friday, they didn't even shed a tear until they were inside the Chickadees door. 

Time.  Things will get better with time.  I remind myself of that, for as much as I would love to be home with them all day, I also see the positive aspects of daycare.  The boys learn so much , things that I wouldn't even know how to teach them.  And they are learning socialization skills for the future.  I have no doubt that they will be confident little boys and be much more successful when they get into the heart of their schooling.  Until then, I put on a smile each morning, wave goodbye, and continue watching my little babies turn into amazing boys each and every day.