The daycare’s small program for the September birthday celebrants fell right smack in the middle of our P&ID review period. And luck of lucks, my unit got scheduled on the very morning that the daycare program was gonna be held. When one of the Leads saw my pained look though, he asked if I wasn’t available. And so, right in front of the whole team, I said the reason. Before I realised what was happening (I was still debating in my head whether my conscience will forgive me in case Yui ends up the only celebrant without a parent), the unit leads of the team started to volunteer shifting the schedule of the units. Now who wouldn’t love a team like that?! Of course I told them so too; of how I love the team. In my almost 17 years at work, I have never heard of big review meetings schedules being shifted because of a parent needing to attend his/her child’s event at school (see, these meetings involve many other people from different companies hence most teams are less compromising)
Tag Archives: daycare
life with a kindergartener: Yui got the gold medal
When I arrived at the daycare and was putting on my owabaki, as I glanced inside the Teachers’ room, I saw another class’ head teacher signal to your head teacher that I have arrived. Your head teacher then got out and approached me with a serious face.
Her first line was that she has a good news for me. But I was very confused because her face was very serious and hence I could not expect there really is a good news coming. And as she went on, I understood why her face was serious.
It was because you got the Gold medal in a drawing contest among almost 300 four- and five-year olds.
Your daycare have 13 branches and on September, there will be a festival gathering all daycares. As part of the program, there is a drawing contest. Sometime in this August, all four-year-olds and five-year-olds were asked to draw something. I understood that the theme was to draw what each of you would like to become. You drew an ostrich. And your drawing won, not only because of the quality of drawing but also because of the composition.
Your head teacher asked if I’d like to see a photo of your work on their camera or whether I can wait during the awarding ceremony during the festival. EQ test!! I chose the latter and goodness, how difficult it is now. Awarding is still a month away!!!!
But, oh baby, I am soooo proud of you. And to think I never did anything at help you in this contest endeavour. You did a great job. Your head teacher, Sugawara, doesn’t even think it’s due to her teaching.
It’s all because of your own effort and imagination.
I’m proud of you. And thank you for working hard.
Life with a Kindergartener: Hello Work
For an hour my 5-year-long wish came true – to be a teacher at your daycare.
Your daycare has this program on introducing parents’ work to senior class. I inquired about it and so principal took the chance to ask if I could present something about my mother country. Told her I agree with her idea but that aside from that, I will also teach them some songs and introduce them to STEM.
IT-WAS-DIFFICULT to simplify engineering to kindergarten level. But at least your class was squealing and giggling during our experiment when we mixed the vinegar and baking soda and CO2 bubbles formed. The food colouring we added made it more fun.
You were also beside yourself with giddiness by the mere fact that I am your class’ teacher for the afternoon. You wanted to hug and cuddle me. I am touched to see how proud you are of me. Thank you.
But I am so much more proud of you because you confidently got in front and taught your friends the song “Under the spreading chestnut tree”.
Keep it up, baby. 🙂
PS
Our effort bore fruit. The principal, teachers, my beloved mentor at office, parents all said we did a great job/ we were “subarishii”. That we took the challenge of being the first ever to do this Hello Work activity in the entire daycare history; despite me being a none-Japanese speaker. Thank you Lord, for the inspiration.
baby diaries: mighty proud of you
When I picked you up this evening at daycare, there was only you and a younger boy left in your teachers’ care. That’s quite an improvement since the whole week, I was late in picking you up and you were the only one left. But I digress.
We were getting ready to leave and about to go down the ground floor when the Mom of the younger boy came; carrying her second born on her right arm, and holding daycare bags on the other arm. I recognised she was loaded and I commiserated since I perfectly know the feeling. However, the idea of helping her absolutely did not cross my mind.
When you saw her shuffling nearer, you ran to the door and opened the door for her so she can pick up her other kid.
Ah, I-am-so-proud of you our little one.
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Daycare Year 5
We’re here. Finally you’re in the oldest class in daycare; たいよう組. Years from now, you’ll understand what an emotional point this is for me. Was able to talk to Hitonari’s Mom today and we were talking how now your class is the eldest when it seemed like it was only yesterday that you were crawling around, the youngest in the school.
It was almost symbolic actually because for the first time, you chose what to wear for today and prepared it the night before. I didn’t have to make you hurry too. In fact, you dragged me to walk faster. How much you’ve grown. And for that matter I was surprised the spring pants you’re wearing was already inches short on you when it was still a little bit long when you wore it last in autumn.
This year will be busy as we will be preparing for when you enter elementary school. But as I keep on saying, let’s enjoy the present; live the present.
Grow well, Anak. Love. Laugh. God bless you.
PS (March 30)
I learned today that your head teacher last year (my favourite!) is also your head teacher this year. I’m totally ecstatic. We owe it to her that you could seamlessly read your hiragana and katakana really fast. And you could write too!
And since this year will be full packed with activities and preparations, I am truly thankful she’s your head teacher. In hindsight though, I think the school staff thought it best that she still be your class’ head sensei because they can see our rapport. I probably am difficult to handle for them…and somehow, her level of strictness coincides with mine. Hence, I’m thankful and excited!
baby diaries: cat’s hand
You were watching way too much videos already so I asked you to come on over to help me beat the eggs. Result: you had a tantrum because you didn’t want to help and just wanted to watch. The tantrum was a confirmation you’ve had too many videos and so I set my foot and commanded you come on over in the kitchen.
The moment you beat the eggs though, you were your usual gay self already and was having fun. Then you volunteered to cut the pechay/chingensay/Chinese cabbage. My first instinct was not to allow you to hold the knife. But you looked so confident that you can do it and I most definitely don’t want to break that confidence. So I grit my teeth and handed you the knife. As you positioned the knife, you said that Sugawara-sensei told you the other hand that’s not holding the knife should be like a cat’s hand; curled like a cat’s hand so that those cutie little fingers won’t get nipped.
I’m loving your head teacher all the more. By the way, you cut those two heads of pechay quite evenly. Good job, Anak! 🙂
