School Time

I always thought I would be a homeschooling mother. And then came Antalya. It's not that I don't love being with her or feel like I'm not up to the task. It's simply that, for whatever reason, Antalya is much more willing to be taught if I'm not around. When it's me and her, she insists on doing everything herself. Although I love this independent spirit she has, it also means, that she won't listen to a word I say, and definitely won't sit and watch while I demonstrate how something should be done.

That's why when I found out that nursery schools here in England start children five days a week at age three, I jumped for joy! We were fortunate to move into an area that has one of the best schools in the country, and one that has seen lots of children with Down syndrome. They have been amazing in helping Antalya fit right in with her normal developing peers and learn so many things that I just couldn't teach her at home.

I just returned from dropping Jason off at the tube station that is right next to Antalya's school. As I passed I was surprised to see Antalya's aid standing outside watching the cars pass. As I looked again I noticed a little hand holding hers and a little blond haired girl wearing her familiar pink jacket and boots. As I passed again, after dropping Jason off, The duo, along with another teacher and two other children were walking hand in hand towards the local cafe.

It's experiences like this that make me so happy we are here in England where Antalya is getting such a good start to her education. I don't know of any other preschool in the states that takes field trips with just three kids at a time to a local cafe to practice ordering food, proper etiquette, and paying for the food when all done.

I wish I had a picture to go along with this post of some of the things she is doing at school. But hopefully tomorrow I will have some good ones. I'm volunteering to help out on their annual autumn nature walk. It should be a great time.