Cerise's Journey at Kindy

February 2004, Edwin and I decided to move Cerise from the day care to kindergarten classes despite being only 2 years and 4 months old (Kindergarten schools accept children aged 3 years and up). This decision was due to the observation we made she was no longer stimulated at day care; she was bored, exhausted, becoming whiny and it seemed her learning had gone to a halt (hang on a minute... that sounds like me at my old job!).

Thank God for Elim Christian Kindergarten, the institution that made me feel okay about being a working mother. Our circumstance: full time working parents whose only child was still 8 months shy of her 3rd birthday and not yet fully toilet trained (refer to my post detailing how she'd gone shy doing her poos) but was in dire need of a mentally stimulating environment and one that instills discipline effectively.... while her parents earn the money to pay her private kindy, by the way... duh?! Anyway, the kindy had every reason to reject our application and we knew that from the onset but we gave it a shot anyway.

Whether it was Edwin's "sweet" plea (yah, he can pull one of those out of the bag at an opportune time) or the desperate look in my face and sound of my voice or Cerise's irresistible charm or God's intervention, I'm not too sure but we got accepted! It was certainly one of those things because paying them to do us favours (translation: corruption) doesn't work around here.

And so the journey began rather smoothly....

In those two years, I have no recollection of her complaining about kindy. Not a single morning of her not wanting to go for the day. Each time she came home, she'd showcase new things she'd learned or skills and talents she'd improved. She'd rave about her friends and teachers with fondness. She was happy and well-settled all throughout.

Aaaahh... Elim Christian Kindergarten... you're like disposable nappies and formula milk... things that allow other people to make you think twice about your own values upon which you raise your kids. But you're there for our perusal and you're great at what you do so no regrets from this end.

Her journey certainly ended with mixed emotions.... of triumph over gaining so much from this experience... of sadness over separating from people she'd come to love... of anxiety over the next journey ahead.

P.S. and just to spoil the melodramatic feel of this post.... can i just scream out of frustration that Blogger, it appears, only allows me to add two images here! Ugh! I had this whole set of photos telling the story of Cerise's journey at kindy but they won't upload. Duh! I'll figure out what's going on here. In the meantime, check out the photos in my flicker badge (left hand side of the page).