Starting School in France

With the assistance of a new friend, who is French, I was able to successfully sign Lily up for school today. Because I don't yet speak French, I couldn't do any of this on my own. And with Phil working full days at the squadron, I needed a translator and someone who knew the system to help me accomplish this complicated task!

With our housing situation settled, we were able to determine which school Lily would go to. Basically, for public school, you just attend the closest school to your house. Her school is about a quarter mile away from our home...definitely within walking distance, which is a huge plus!

Today, we met with the director of the school to fill out papers and get a tour. The facilities are extremely nice--the school has just finished a huge remodeling project. The classrooms are very big, clean, colorful and look like any class room out of the United States. We also met Lily's new teacher, who was very kind and warm toward us. My French friend explained our situation and told her Lily does not speak any French right now. The teacher replied that she herself doesn't speak any English. So it will interesting to watch Lily be TOTALLY immersed into the French language. With Lily, there will be twenty-two kids in the teacher's class. There is no such thing as "parent participation" in a French classroom. In fact, from what I could understand, I'm not allowed in the classroom at all. One teacher, twenty-two three/four year olds...wow!

While classroom looks similar to other classrooms Lily has been apart of, the schedule is going to be a big shock to her. French three and four year olds go to school four days a week (they have Wednesdays off). I am to drop her off at eight twenty in the morning and then pick her up for the end of the day at four twenty! She has the option to eat lunch at school, or I can pick her up and feed her lunch at home.

If she stays for lunch at school, she is served a prepared, hot meal. No lunch boxes from home allowed. It's a three course meal, including a cheese course. It costs three euro a meal. They are served lunch while sitting at tables. The meal itself last for an hour. Then the kids are dismissed for a recess.

Hmmm, very interesting...first off, Lily still takes naps. Partly, because she needs it and party because I need it. Usually she'll sleep for at least an hour. While sitting in the office with the director, she said to Lily in perfect English (the only English she spoke the entire thirty minutes), "No more naps for you." Secondly, our lunch at home lasts about twenty minutes, on a good day. So having Lily sit at table and eat a three course meal for nearly an hour could be an enormous feat. Lily asked me in the car if I thought they would have macaroni and cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch at school. While smiling, I told her I had no idea what they WOULD eat, but I could guarantee her they WOULDN'T be eating pb&j or mac&cheese.

She will start school after the Christmas break, on January fourth. In the meantime, I'll savor the precious time I have left with her home all day. I wouldn't be rushing the school issue so much if it weren't for the fact that she needs go in order to pick up the language. Sitting at home in my little English speaking commune isn't helping her assimilate in any way.But January will be another milestone as she becomes more and more of a big girl...and less and less of my little girl.