All back.. & Xuan's First 3 Days in School

First of all, BIG thanks to all advise, help, words of concerns, text messages ... the full works. Have not necessarily been responding as I have been busy all round, work, home, kids.. so forgive me, but I am really very appreciative of the help and support! :)

Xuan in the end did not have HFMD, but he did have a major outbreak of eczema that made his whole back look hideous. He had all the dots.. and so Doc had recommended to quarantine him for a week, much like HFMD.

So En went to Nanny's place for a week, and when I was thinking it was finally over, he came back with cold and cough which continued the medical saga.

In any case, the kids are quite good now, with mild sniffs and all, and I am glad it is the weekend.

Xuan started his first day of school the past tuesday. I went with him and it was a really different experience. Our little friend was happily wandering around the classroom or engrossed in play or tasks, so much so that he does not notice me most of the time.

And it helped that the theme for these 2 weeks in school is cooking, and he had a lot of fun making moulds out of buttered bread sprinkled with colourful candy rice or chocolate flaks.. lots of fun doing it and eating as well.

Predictably, he loves the snack time, and happily finished his own snack and had 2 more waffer biscuits for good measure. He was the last kid at the table, again, predictably.

Instead, En was the one who was crying for me to stay with him and be near him all the while. He also went around telling all the teachers and his friends that Xuan is his brother, introducing him all around, that is very sweet and cute.

While the little one did not even seem to need me around. So i decided to let him go to school on his own subsequently.

And true enuf, Xuan was eager to head off to school the next day, and my mum said he went in alone by himself to the classroom. He already knew where the classroom was upon alighting from the car. While En was still bidding goodbye to grandpa and my mum, Xuan was already somewhere in the classroom.

And on Day 3 of school, he actually cried when he was fetched to come home. And by the 3rd day, he alreay knew the routine of sitting on the little stools outside the classroom to remove his shoes, I am really impressed at his adapatability - all the while i tot he can be a bit clueles about what is hapening and I was worried he would be lost and clueless in school. but no, he surprised me much.. i think the little boy really loves school. He likes looking at other kids, and was happy to wander around the classroom exploring or playing with the toys. I am quite confident he will have fun with the montessori tools once actual term starts next year and I hope he has time to pick up sufficient skills of independence before we head off to china.

And the feedback on the 3rd day was he was trying to feed soup to himself and refused help from the auntie, even though more than half the time, he was spilling the soup on himself and the floor.

I am relieved he is so easily settled into school. That means he may be the stablising force next year when both of them go to the new school in China, and he can be there to reassure the older brother....