"HOME"

Summer's over. It was a long and difficult two months. I was employed to work with a group of seven children - six of whom could have been diagnosed with special needs. One of them actually was. I was unprepared for what I was asked to do, but I did it, and I have a new respect for those who CHOOSE to work with these special children. Their work is very demanding and relentless. The progress is measured in VERY small increments, but rewarding to see, nonetheless.

I took a two week break after the summer job finished. One week for myself and one week to get the Playschool ready for the new school year.

The Playschool re-opened on the 14th of September to a group of 7 new children and 6 returning children. Ten of them came on our first day. Grace came through the door on that first day announcing that she was going to make a new friend. The next child through the door was Iris. Grace looked at her and asked her, "Will you be my friend?" Iris answered, "Yes!" and they have been BFF's (best friends forever) ever since! Wouldn't it be nice if it was always that easy! Several of our new boys knew each other from a previous preschool experience, and two others are cousins, so the adjustment to our program was quick and easy.

For the first time since I began working here, we did not enroll any new International children. Three of our children from last year are from overseas so Russia and Canada/Switzerland are still represented. The rest are all local children from the US. This, of course, helped the transition with everyone already knowing enough English to communicate with ease. It will, however, have an effect on our final theme of Flags Around the World and the International picnic on the last day.

Anyway, it's good to be back home.