Tess is the youngest of our children to ever start school. Both Kye and Britt began school at (or a little bit older than) 2 1/2 years old. Tess had JUST (as in literally less than a week prior) turned 2 when she started going to school. While 6 months isn’t that long of a time, it is when you talk about age differences at this age. Like at 2, Tess doesn’t come home talking about school. I don’t know who she plays with. What she’s learning. If she’s having fun. She doesn’t communicate on that level yet so that part of it is difficult for me.
I have seen it help her a LOT socially. Tess has had the most difficult time of all of my children leaving me for Sunday School. Zach has to be the one to take her in or else she clings to me and never lets me leave! School drop off was tough for awhile. Lots of tears. But after a month or so it got much better and I noticed a BIG improvement with Sunday School too. Now she happily runs to her Sunday School class and is excelling in there as well as in school too!
We just did two days of school for Tess. I do feel this is where she was at a disadvantage. When Kye and Britt started school their entire class was a class that only attended a couple days a week. For Tess, majority of the kids in her class attend all 5 days. She is one of only a few students who are only their a couple days. I feel like this is a disadvantage for her as the others are used to a more set routine and it feels like she’s a temporary student rather than “full time” like the rest of her class. After her evaluation and in talking with her teacher we did decide to have her go three days for the rest of the school year in hopes that will help her feel more comfortable in the class.
When we got her evaluation I was DYING laughing. If she’d been my first born I probably would have freaked out and been worried but these responses (or rather, lack of, responses) are pretty epic haha.
Laughs aside, it was the most “concerning” school report I’ve yet to see as a parent. I was surprised the teacher didn’t want a conference but I did reach out and we talked via the phone about everything. I know at home Tess talks a good bit but IS more quiet than my others. I have always assumed it’s a “third kid thing” but with her lack of responses and participation in the classroom I was concerned that maybe it’s more than that. Her teacher was WONDERFUL about it and really feels most of it just comes down to Tess not being comfortable. Being there less days and being a more reserved personality is just a lot.
As far as discipline issues Tess has pulled a clip 2 times. Which is just one away from how many Kye has pulled his entire school career. C-R-A-Z-Y. But her teacher also reassured me that it’s the younger age AND being that third child. She’s used to having to “fight” for everything she has so she gets very territorial over stuff.
I am very glad we went ahead and put Tess into school when we did. I think waiting another year would have put her at a disadvantage compared to other 3 year olds, as she will be JUST three then! I’m glad her teacher feels she’s fine. I wasn’t sure if her lack of right answers were something to be concerned about but she’s not even 2 1/2 yet so I feel like it’s good that she’s talking about numbers, shapes, letters, and colors even if she doesn’t have them right yet!
I love all her little scribble art work from school. She’s always proud to look in her binder and see her sticker! I know chronologically I’m jumping ahead a bit but just in the month she’s been going 3 days a week we have seen a HUGE difference in her. She comes home singing songs and talking more about school and her teacher said she’s already participating a lot more too. She’s also just now the age when Kye and Britt started school so I feel like this second half of the year will be when she really blossoms!
We are so proud of our little Tessie!
