School is going well for Monkey

Monkey had his first integration day yesterday. Up until now he has just been at the day care all day. Yesterday he took the bus and went to school. We knew some of the kids that would be in his class but not all. It turns out that there is a good bunch that he is friendly with. E man was there and so was his best little buddy C from last year. Apparently the three of them played for most of the morning.

He was allowed to bring a favourite toy on the first day. He brought his good Manni. He had Manni by his side the whole time. I think that was a brilliant idea!! It really helped I think. I asked if there were toys in the class. He said "yes, but not as many as in Junior Kindergarten. That's okay though, there were enough for all of us." Then I heard about how the teacher pronounced another child's rather difficult name incorrectly. Monkey corrected her. Sigh.

The day care where he catches the bus reports that he is a really changed child from last year. They are using him as a role model and a leader for the younger kids. He is loving it. They are really proud of him and all of the progress that he has made.

I could have cried when yesterday he was excited about going to school. He has been really anxious about it for so long. Every day at camp this summer was a new scary event for him. School was a terrifying prospect, he was sure that all of the other kids would know more than him or that the teacher would expect him to know stuff that he had not learned yet. Yesterday morning though he was excited about going. I really think it helped that Manni would be there with him. Yay for Manni.