Updates

I have seen no sign of "quota time" today. I hope it doesn't come back. It's only been the last couple of days that it has been showing up, so maybe whatever they were doing is fixed or tested, or whatever. I really do understand blocking blogs and personal websites (whatever that is supposed to include, which may be why it seemed random what it was blocking) for the people working in the office, but we have to live here, too. When you live on a remote island in the middle of the Atlantic, you need the internet. Period.

As for kindergarten, I'm feeling a little bit better about it. We decided to put Wyatt into the daycare/preschool they have here in order to help the transition along. It's not really a traditional preschool according to what you see in the States. Then, again, I've heard of some very sketchy preschools, some operated out of homes and including tv time...uh, say what?!. The day care here is sort of a co-op, although it has a building and a couple of employees. It's managed by parents, and I'm not positive who accounts for the money or how that all works, but I do know they are barely breaking even right now and trying to find more kids to help it out.

The program itself is basically three hours long in the mornings, with nap time and free play in the afternoons. The babies have a separate room from the older kids, although it's all interconnected. The employees are two bahamian women who seem very good with the kids. I like that he's being exposed a bit to another culture by going there, too.

Because of the way it's run, we can pretty much pick and choose when he goes. We sign in, then pay at the end of the month according to how many hours he was there. The price per hour is also somewhat dependent on how frequently he was there. My plan is to go two or three days a week, depending on how much he wants to be there. Maybe we'll work into more, maybe not, but at the very least, it should help us find a rhythm for school mornings as their preschool program starts the same same time school does.

He went for the first time today, and actually got mad at me when I picked him up at lunch because the other kids were still there (some go off for lunch with their parents and some stay and eat there).  It actually made me kind of glad to see that. I really hope that's how he is about school, too. Wyatt is a pretty social kid, and I know this part of him has not been satisfied very well since moving here. It's tough to find playmates during the day, and I think that's been hard on him, which is why I don't want to homeschool here. As much as I dread the six hour days and think they are excessive and unnecessary, I think he will ultimately do better by going than staying home.

Whatever you do, don't mention that we are moving after first grade. The very thought makes me sick to my stomach because I know the school question will rear its ugly head again. For two kids. I'm with you, Carrie - I never thought it would be this hard, and we have years and years ahead of us. Here's hoping we all survive them mostly intact!