Looking Ahead to Fall Part II

Some of you may recall a very long and drawn out post detailing all my plans for the kids this coming fall, which basically confirmed my ever dire need to have everything planned out way in future. You can find that post here.

Well things changed. I had held steadfast to my plans for quite some time. But they never really sat well with me. Then last week, out of the blue Jake asked about school. I explained that it was summer and he would be going back in a couple of months, but he would be starting at his new school. He furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips and replied while pointing in different directions, "I don't want to go to that school, I want to go to MY school.". The next day he started t-ball, a program I had signed up for through the parks and rec department in Joshua Tree, where his school is located because they did not offer such a program in 29 Palms. Well, it turns out that 3 of his former classmates are playing too and on that very first day you could see Jake, Aaron, Michael and Madison all playing and talking to each other. It was very easy to tell they were friends. And call me a sucker, but I am just not ready to take that familiarity away from him. I am not ready to take him away from a program in which he blossomed, where he gleamed with excitement almost every day I dropped him off and talked excitedly about the things he learned and did when I picked him up. I have absolutely no complaints about the program or the teachers EXCEPT that it is 15 minutes away in the next town over. So I am going to make the sacrafice and try not to worry about the rise in gas prices and the fact that I drive an SUV, and send him back to the school he loves. In another year, he will be starting kindergarten and will have to endure change and making new friends then and I am sure he would have been fine at our local preschool but this decision just feels right.

It does also mean however, that Jadyn will not be returning to Tiny Tots at the YMCA since the 2 year old class starts at the same time we are taking Jake to school. I am kind of torn about this. On the one hand, their teacher for the last 2 years has moved and I have not heard anything about her replacement and the year Jake was 2 years old, although registered we did not go very frequently because I was trying to juggle him and Jadyn at the same time. I am ready to let go but it is not necessarily easy either, because this program has been a part of our lives for the last 4 years. I have made arrangements for Jadyn to take a Kindermusik class on Mondays and then on Wednesdays after taking Jake to school, we are going to participate in an early learning program at the library so those activities will definitely fill the void left by the YMCA. Jadyn's most favorite time last year was her Kindermusik class and overall I feel kind of good about not over-programming the kids. We really did have too much on our plate last spring. Now if I could just find a Mother's Day Out program for Jadyn on Fridays, our schedule would be complete! It would give her a taste of being away from mommy in preparation for her starting preschool next year (and don't get me started about where to send her, LOL!) and allow me extra time to complete work files.

So that is our new plan and if you have managed to read through this entire post, I give you credit for being a loyal reader, friend or family member because I am sure it was not particularly interesting. But I am the type to feel best after making a big decision so now I can go and get a peaceful night sleep. AND, just to justify me actually posting this long tirade on my blog, it will be a good reminder and example to the kids as they read this when they older about how much I did for them. I think it is time to deduct some of that money I had stashed away in their therapy fund. Then again, maybe I should use it to get therapy myself. Thoughts?