Kiddie corner

My son’s first year at Montessori preschool is coming to an end.  He started the year as a baby-faced three-year old and has emerged a naughty Spider Man loving little boy! He’s thoroughly enjoyed his first foray into institutional learning.

I was nervous about sending him in September, but also realised that he needed to be socialising with other children, and was beginning to crave stimulation that I was not able to give him.  He has thrived in the structured learning environment of Montessori and has formed his own little nucleus of close friends that not only resemble him but share his love of superheroes and ninja turtles.  He’s achieved milestones about which he feels great pride – writing his name, and reading basic three-letter words like "cat" and "bat".

Friday was the end-of-year concert, and I went to see him on stage with my video camera in hand.  My little guy was so excited to see his mom, uncles and sister in the audience that he couldn’t stop smiling. My daughter, who’s been ready for school since she was born, can’t wait to join her brother in September.

These past few weeks, one of my school friends from New Brunswick posted my kindergarten grad picture on Facebook (yes, it does serve some purpose other than as addictive medium for procrastination and time-wasting – go figure)!  What followed was quite amazing – from out of the woodwork, various members of our kindergarten class came online to view the picture and everyone posted their updates and comments.  It was amazing to connect with all those people again.  The photograph had the power to trigger so many memories and old relationships. The same group of people with whom I started junior kindergarten with, were with me throughout my school years. At our high school graduation, our kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Huntjens – a lovely woman who much to our sadness passed away several years ago – hosted a reunion of our "Kiddie Corner" class and we assembled in the same format as this picture below only 20 years later.