Proud

September 2012 Alex started preschool, it was the first time he's been looked after by anyone that wasn't family.

For that first term he only went on Tuesday mornings, we had to pay as they only get it funded the term after their 3rd Birthday and I wanted to ease him in gently before the arrival of Sam in December. It seems a lifetime ago already and thinking back he seemed so young, he was only 3 in November so was one of the youngest there, had not long been potty trained, and was much more immature in his behaviour (quite obviously).

Since Christmas he now goes all day Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, taking a packed lunch with him. Instead of turning up apprehensive and shy he now runs in, brings things in for show and tell and genuinely looks forward to it.

It's amazing the difference that 7 months have made, when he first joined I was worried about his behaviour, he seemed quite an angry boy when with his friends he's known since birth as I was worried this was happen at preschool, thankfully we only had one small incident in that time. Looking back I think his behaviour was linked with my pregnancy, I was so ill, dizzy and tired most of the time I found it hard to be the Mother I so desperately wanted to be (his behaviour is so much better since I had Sam).

His report from his first term weren't bad, but it did say things like 'he co-operates with the golden rules most of the time' and 'Alex can concentrate for short periods of time on an activity of his choosing' which did make me giggle as my Mum has worked in a nursery for years so I know they how they word things ;)

I had a review with his key worker a couple of weeks ago and had a quick flick through his folder which was lovely to see :) she was really pleased with his progress as says he is hitting all the right targets.

It sounds like he has made lots of friends and is quite the sociable character (takes after his Daddy)! His social and writing skills have come on in leaps and bounds, he can pretty much write his name now, and can be seen writing 'A for Alex' whenever doing drawing.

He has made two close friends but both go to school in September whereas Alex has a whole other year, so I hope he isn't too disappointed come this September!

His target this term is continue to help him hold pencils correctly and try and do mark making activities, instead of helping him sit still and concentrate for short periods of time like it was last term.

I am so proud of him, and how much he has grown and changed in just over half a year, he really is becoming such a wonderful little boy.

First session at preschool

So yesterday the alarm went on for the first time in yonks (not counting the time it went off for our holiday the other week), the morning was rushed, and I had butterflies in my stomach!

Yes it was Alex's first session at preschool, luckily James was about to take us and see Alex in so I didn't have to make the 25min walk this once! I have been trying to get Alex excited and aware that he was going to be going to pre school without bombarding him with it, as he does get very anxious in new surroundings or around new people. When he gets shy or anxious he does sometimes lash out and 99% of the time cries so I was expecting this when we got there yesterday. Thankfully he is familiar with the building as it is where we have been going to a stay and play group for over a year and I recognised quite a few Mums and children from that which is nice for me as I hate not knowing anyone!

Before we left he was excited and wanted to leave before 8am, I had to reign him in a bit but 8.50am soon came around-and he was clinging to James' legs for dear life, and trying to rip off his name sticker already! Once they go in they have their own mat to sit on and have to try and find their name, they then put this in small frog bin to make registration fun, many of the children (mainly the boys) found sitting on the mat a task, and many of the children were too shy to go and put their name in the frog this once! There was a boy who knew how it all worked as he has obviously been there before, and bless him he was showing the newbies all the ropes when they were putting the date and weather on the calendar.

After that it was time for the anxious Mums and Dads to leave for a quick chat in the foyer...cue loud cries (I think Alex was one of the first) and screams for "Mummy" at the top of 2/3 year old voices. Two little lads even made a B line for the main doors (which had been locked) and then lay on the floor screaming and shouting for their parents. To be honest it sounded like a torture zone for children and was both funny and heart wrenching! I could see Alex was being held and shown around by one of the staff as he was crying his eyes out...funnily enough I don't think I saw any girls upset!

The curtains were drawn in front of the main doors to stops the kids (and parents) looking in, and we were assured that everything would be fine...there were a few worried faces about though! I got a call from them an hour later and panicked thinking that he'd not stopped or perhaps lashed out at someone-thankfully they were just ringing to let me know he was fine and had been enjoying himself-phew!

His little face when we collected him was a picture, a big beaming smile and proudly showing us his new book bag which he absolutely loves! He had even done some artwork on the craft table, in fact two lots of sticking, which is unheard of for him, as he usually sticks about two items on and then gets bored with me!

We popped into my parents house on the way back as I had a midwife appointment just after anyway and all three places are within a few walking minutes of each other. Alex was hilarious when he came in, my Dad asked how preschool was and Alex replied with "Been at preschool AGES" chucking his book bag to the floor. I think someone was a bit tired from it all-most answers I then got about what he had done were, boring, rubbish or some other nonsense.

I found it very hard not to ask so many questions-I turned into my Mother-it's weird going from full time day time carer to then have someone else taking over. I wanted to know all he had done, what he'd had for snack, what he played with, had he played nicely with people etc. After his lunch I managed to get a bit more out of him about what he had done which made me happier, and at bedtime after I'd tucked him up he was telling me about it all without me asking which was lovely.

He's only going Tuesday mornings up until Christmas anyway as I have to pay for this term, I would have waited until he got the free funding after Christmas, but I thought with a new born arriving around then and then chucking him into preschool just after I would be heading towards a huge tantrum and he might feel as if I was getting rid of him for the newborn!

Hopefully I will relax more soon, it's just weird having someone else take over for a bit. The free few hours was really odd getting used to, but a nice odd, and it's so handy that my midwives at the doctors in continently a Tuesday which makes appointments much easier (as I have been relying on my brother to look after Alex as he's been off since his GCSE's).

Sorry for the quiet blog for sometime, we had two short breaks and I keep meaning to write up about them but the last week has been a bit hectic, and I have lost my blogging mojo for a bit-hopefully I get it back soon!

Finding a preschool or nursery-where's the manual for that?

I have been thinking about getting Alex on waiting lists for local preschools or nurseries- it's something I have thought about on and off but not ever really done anything about it apart from the odd bit browsing. But now I know why I always seem to hit a brick wall when getting his name down on a list...

I thought it would be nice and simple to do, I assumed there would be a generic website which explained it all clearly, I thought our local council website would have a list of the childcare options and providers in the area, I thought that the providers' websites would have clear information on how to enrol, when to enrol, easily found contact details etc. However I have found this is not the case.

1. One website doesn't seem to be very well updated apart from one page on there, but I have had good recommendations from a good few people about the preschool. They charge £5 just for the administration form to be handed in which to be honest I thought was a off putting as I'm not sure if this is the 'right' place, it's a 20/25 minute walk and the outdoor area isn't very big and quite frankly I don't have £5 to throw away if he doesn't get a place or we decide not to enrol him there after all.

2. The nearest school that has a nursery website is literally crammed with info, but not the info you need (mainly useful if you are already at the school) there are about 30 single tabs to click on down the side, and the website is just too busy all over the page you can't focus or read the information clearly anyway. But I walk past this nursery on the way to netball practise and their outdoor area is fantastic-I wouldn't mind a play in there myself! It's a new school and only a 10 minute (max) walk there. Downside- it's on the same campus as the secondary school as well as the normal primary school, and it's in close proximity to the secondary school students which puts me off a bit. They also don't have an online form, and no direct contact to the nursery just the general school email.

3. Another local primary school about a 20 minute walk away has a nursery attached, their website is great and clear, they have an online from to register, however I read at the bottom of the form that they don't take the child until the September after their 3rd birthday-that means Alex would be nearly 4 when he'd start.

4. The closest school and the one Alex is likely to go to doesn't have a nursery/preschool so where ever he goes he won't go with people he knows when he gets to school age (not a massive problem, just wish they had thought about making the school large enough to accommodate one seeing as it's a new build area full of young families)!

So help me because I am seriously struggling...

I can't afford Alex to go until he gets the free sessions, which if I am right is the term after he is 3. So do kids have a year at preschool and then a year at nursery? Can they have 2 years at nursery just not at one of my options?

Alex is 3 in November and after looking at how few preschools/nurseries there are in our area compared to the number of children I am getting quite apprehensive as to what to do for the best, or at all. I don't want to make the wrong decision or move Alex about too much because I want him to have the best, but don't know what that is.

I just don't get how you are supposed to know what to do, when to apply, how to apply when actually no one gives you any information on deadlines on it-they don't teach you this in the NCT classes do they?!

P.S any help gratefully received! My partner had a go at me because I hadn't done anything about it- I sort of think it's a joint decision though!