Breakfast Woes

We've had a good week, slowly getting accustomed to the new routine.  I take Evie on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays and then, on the days I work at my school, Seth takes Evie early and she eats breakfast at school so Seth can get to work.  She's having a bit of a hard time with breakfast because they don't allow the kids to talk and they also don't allow them to choose who they sit with.  For my social daughter, this is somewhat unbearable and yesterday Evie was sobbing when Seth tried to drop her off.  He went in with her to help her get breakfast and sat with her in the cafeteria for a little while, but when it came time for him to leave or be late for work, she burst into tears again.  When we recounted this event to my parents, we all teared up and my Dad offered to take her to school on those days saying, "I just can't bear the though of her being unhappy."  The love of a grandfather.

This week, I had already switched my schedule around to work Monday and Tuesday, so I was doing my work-from-home and home health SLP jobs, so I had flexibility in my schedule to go be with Evie.  I took her to school during breakfast and walked in with her so I could figure out what it is about the experience that is so harrowing for her.  I can see why it could be upsetting if you're the kind of person who craves social interaction, as my kid is.  They seat the children in whatever order they finish going through the cafeteria line, so sometimes you'd get seated next to much older kids.  No one is really allowed to talk, though they don't enforce that incredibly strictly.  While we were sitting there, 3 of her classmates walked by and said "Hi, Evie," so I know there are some other kids in her class who eat breakfast there at least once in a while.  Breakfast is 20 minutes long if you get there right when it starts.  So I talked with Evie about how she could use her time to reflect on the day, to think about what kind of things she learned yesterday and what she might learn today, and how she can always talk to God even if she can't talk to anyone else.  I told her it would be a good time to thank God for the food, the friends, her family, and ask Him to help her be the kind of person he wants her to be.  That seemed to help her and hopefully she'll have a less traumatic time at breakfast.

I also got to come back in the afternoon and meet Evie on the playground and have lunch with her.  We went through the cafeteria line again and she showed me how it all works.  While we were waiting, one of the teachers who was a graduate student at Evie's Montessori school came up to us, so excited to see Evie.  She now teaches 2nd grade at Evie's school.  I know who we'll be requesting next year!  Evie and I sat together with other kids from her class during lunch, and I whispered to her several times about how well behaved she is because - goodness - there are some wild children!  I mean, no one was being unruly, they just clearly had a lot of energy they needed to get out.

Other than breakfast, though, Evie continues to be pretty well-adjusted at her new school.  She now talks about other friends beyond just Ena, and she enjoys using the computer which is something they definitely didn't do in her Montessori classroom.  I have mixed feelings on the computer thing, but I'm sure it's fine.  She's enjoying PE, art, music, and library specials during the week, and she's so proud to have gotten "E"s (for excellent) on her weekly report.

We had family game night this week and Evie learned how to play Phase 10.  She's a very serious player.

We also had her 3rd session at gymnastics today and Evie wore her Wonder Woman leotard.  These poses were not coached; she knows how to show some sass.