I was invited to Alice's daycare for their fathers day celebration. The event included singing two songs, watching the morning welcome ceremony, enjoying a breakfast and then going out on the playground.
As seen in previous posts, days like this are a mixed bag. The kids usually have fun but end up emotionally spent and often in tears. They are taken out of their normal routine, are forced to adjust their school behavior to accommodate the presence of parents and, as a kicker, are abruptly abandoned as their parents try to get on to work without being too late. The goodbye can be done with Alice without involving crying by carefully and repeatedly communicating that you will be leaving soon, but it is tricky.
For us parents the difficulty is in have our attention taken in multiple directions as we keep our kids eating and drinking (but not spilling), eating our own food, snapping a few pictures and talking to other parents and teachers all while crammed into tiny seats in rooms way too small to hold so many people. The good part though is to see our kids at school, even if it is altered a bit by us being there. Having small children around involves constant work and attention to every physical and emotional need. At school where they spend so much time and are comfortable on their own it is therefore novel to catch a glimpse of them as individuals rather than your children.
Alice went through a few different phases. At first she was happy and super energetic. By the time we were sitting for the songs, however, she had turned shy; this is typical. In two years of birthdays, Thanksgivings, mother's and father's days Sera and I have never once heard Alice sing at school. This is an activity, we are assured, that she normally happily participates in when we are not around.
She did do really well at the meal though (a plate for us to share with a donut, a donut hole, apple chunks, raisins and grapes). She ate happily and did not spill her juice while I talked with the parents on either side of us.
After the meal, the group activities were finished and she and I played on the playground. I warned her several times that I would be leaving soon. She argued that I should stay longer but without too much trouble or delay I convinced her to give me the customary hug/kiss/"te amo" and I was on my way.
I did forgo the path back to the car next to playground and instead took the long way on the street so as not to push my luck.
-Zac
