Growing Up Is Hard To Do

Reagan started going to "school" back August at The Malvern School... just three days a week.  Something to do so her curious nature was met, and play alongside other little kids since she seems to enjoy that so much.  I thought, never would my baby want to leave and go here, but boy was I wrong.  She loves school... well, the correct phrase would be LOVED school.  She did love school when she was in the infant room with Miss Nadine and Miss Stephanie and her typical routine was practiced.  

She has now been bumped up to the "young toddlers" room where the requirements are more fit for her capabilities and age... walks unassisted, feeds self, naps once a day, etc.  At first we were excited because she can do all of those things and then some, but then comes the emotional attachment Reagan has to certain people and specific routines.  After four months in her infant room, she grew to love her teachers and knew what to expect of her day in that room.  Now in the young toddler room, she has new teachers and a whole new routine to become accustomed to.  Thankfully, the one thing I swore she would have trouble with - sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag - was her easiest transition yet.  

Because this change in rooms happened right after the Christmas break, where she was home for 11 days and used to being with Mommy & Daddy all the time, Reagan is having a much harder making the switch.  Drop-off has become torturous for whichever one of us does it, since Reagan will attach to you and make sure to start crying lifting her arms up to be picked up.  When I return at the end of the day to pick her up, I'd expect to hear that the crying ended and she had a great day.  But each day now comes with the feedback that "she had a couple of crying spells when she would see her former teachers walk by" or some similar type of event.  

With all of this information and my being on maternity leave for the next 6 months, we decided that Reagan will be in school only Tuesdays and Thursdays for February and we are highly considering bringing her home all together.  I'm sure she would adjust to the new routine and new teachers but since I'm going to be home with the new baby for a while, there's really no necessity to keeping her in school.  More work for me?  Absolutely.  Worth my pretty princess' happiness? Absolutely.