Big School Ready!

This year is the start of many new things for us as a family. The biggest change and adjustment we are making is that our little big boy is now attending big school!

Here’s how we are doing, err or coping so far.

1.      The Time

Our boy is an early riser. When he was 2 years old (and until he was 4 and a half) , he wakes up at the crack of dawn, waits for the first ray of sunshine to hit our bedroom window and will cockadoodle-doo (or tiktilaok) until we wake up. This is about 5.30 am. Even on weekends.

So, I never imagined waking up early for school will be one of our challenges. But years later, I would hear the “5 more minutes, please” plea. Twice. One from him and the other from his dad.

School bus picks him up at 5.45! My goodness. So far, he’d ridden the school bus just a few times in the morning since school opened last June 17.

 

My sweet sleeping child

2.       The Environment

Big school really is big. His preschool is the kind where everybody knew each other. The guards even know which bag belongs to which student. The big school tour terrified this mom. Fortunately, the big-ness thrilled him. And why not? It’s a big playground, now he has more playmates, and can’t wait to use the school library and the microscope in their science room. Can I also mention he said they will be watching movies in a room, too which I interpret as the multi-media room in school.

Missing his old pre school. We picked up his graduation pictures on his first day at big school.

3.       The Subjects

If his boxy bag is any indication, we are loaded with subjects he will encounter for the first time. Sibika at Kultura, Filipino, Music, Computer and Christian Living. Scrap the computer subject, I know we’ll have no problem there. As for the others, we need more practice so Filipino will come easier for him. And we need to work on orienting him about the Bible and the stories. He learned the Big Bang theory years before he was told about the story of creation and now we have to answer very difficult questions. Questions even Mr. Google will have a hard time answering.

Shopping for his school bag a week before school started. He chose this ginormous bag. "Mom, I can sit on it!" Ang galing ng sales talk ni kuya sa SM

His favorite NatGeo science book

4.       The Baon

We have a hearty eater.  The biggest stress I have now is what to pack for him every day. He eats breakfast around 5.30-6 am. His next meal is at 10.10 am. He usually eats every 2-3 hours so I need to make sure what he eats at breakfast will last him until recess. And what he eats at recess will last him until the 1.10 dismissal time.

So, what do I do? Wake up at 4.30 am to start preparing his bento box. I hoarded lunchboxes last summer and I’m buying bento stuff online. I followed Pinterest users to get more inspiration for bento lunches every day. My goal is simple: make eating fun and healthy. I get a high everyday every time he eats "simot sarap" his baon. (means down to the last morsel, but the Filipino expression just seems more apt)
 

I'm a work-in-progress mom. Forgive the hotdogs while I get the hang of things. Mahirap to think of healthy snacks pala every day.

His first day of school photos.

How time flies! This made me teary-eyed. Whatta difference 3 years make, right? Both taken during the first day of school.