The Meeting

Today, we had to meet with the assistant director at Matthew's day care. It has been a rough few weeks for all of us at Matthew's "school". Let me preface this with Matthew LOVES his school. He has been a happy little camper since he has been there. He is a social kid and was really bored being home with Katie, the nanny. He would stare longingly at other children from the time he became aware of other children. He would try to play with kids who were much older then he at the playground, library, etc. He loves the activities they do (some of which I would or could not do at home.) He needed an outlet and this has been it.

Not to mention that I/we work. There is no changing that fact. We both need to work. I was not one of those 'I am so joyously happy to be home' moms either. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my son but I was bored out of my ever loving mind when I was home. God love all the SAHMs of the world. I am not sure I was cut from that cloth. Oh, sure I would be happy to do it - don't get me wrong. There are days when I long to be home, playing the day away with Matthew but I am not, cannot and probably will not be a SAHM as much as I wished upon a star about that when Matthew was a wee tot. I feel lucky to have what I have and I am happy about the choices we have made. Perhaps if there is a second Schmidt in the world that will change. At any rate, back to the topic at hand...

Matthew is being beat up at school by a smaller boy! Apparently not only is Matthew a social child but he is also very laid back (okay, whose genetics did this kid get anyway?!?!?) So we have been dealing with scratches and bites since the kiddos transitioned. Transition you ask? Well that is when a class moves up - so the baby room (Lamb 1) moves to Lamb 2 and the Lamb 2 move to the Duck rm and so forth. Matthew has been a Duck since the beginning. He did not move to the next classroom because he was too young by a few weeks. Long story short, three boys stayed in the Duck room and all the rest of the kids move to the next room. This is fine even though Matthew really misses his buddies but it has been a longer rougher road then just the transition part of things...

The asst director, Vanessa, was very nice and listened to me blubber about my son. We are hoping that things will start to change with some of things are they are trying OR that one of the kids from the next classroom leaves so he can move up with them. The scratcher's parents are working to make changes so we are just hoping that all of this will help things to improve. It is SO hard and sad to see my not even two year old come home with new scratches every day. Also, that he is sad about it and tells me so. On the bright side, this is maybe a good way for Matthew to learn to be more assertive (okay, it is a streeetch I know but what the heck!?)

All I can say is big fat F***ING BUMMER. Not only does Matthew love his school so do we. This is the childcare situation we have been most happy about. It is a good place - lots of hugs & kisses, funky cool teachers who do funky cool projects and Matthew is thriving there.

More on this as things develop I am sure...