The Doorway

The twins recently started preschool. They go three mornings a week for a couple of hours and so far they seem to really love it (although today was the first time Oscar cried during drop off). It's a wonderful little hidden treasure of a place nestled right within our neighborhood. Most mornings we ride the bike there in an attempt to soak in every last ray of fall that we possibly can. I know it's only September, but we all know that winter is coming very soon.

What's a bit strange to me about the drop off/pick up routine is that parents are not allowed in the building. I mean, surely I can't be the only one who feels this is a bit off-putting? Yet, every morning, there we all are lined up at the door waiting for a staff member to come and greet our children and take them into the classroom. One by one. Or in our case two by two. Same thing a few hours later. We all roll in and line up by the door and then each child is brought out, one family at a time and there is a brief exchange between parent and teacher, a quick "goodbye" or "great day today", before the next child is dismissed. The door closes between each and every child. As in, door opens, little Susie comes out with teacher, hugs her mom, says goodbye to teacher, door closes. Repeat.

There is no way to sugar coat the way I feel about this. I think it is just plain bizarre. However, I've been willing and able to look past it because my husband has been raving and gushing about this place for years now. He sent all his older kids here when they were little, in fact, when we first met, Ruari was still being dropped off at this very door. Plus, they have a great reputation within the community and they follow a Montessori philosophy, I mean nothing in life can ever be PERFECT, right? So if I have to drop them off at a door, well, so what?

At any rate the whole point of this post is to share with you what happened today. We dropped the twins off and then went to the gym. Saoirse is a pro at the gym by now and barely has time to kiss me goodbye before running off to play. I went to yoga for an hour and then I scooped her up and we went for a little retail therapy, stopped off at the grocery store and before you know it the time had come to go pick up the twins from school. I waited my turn in line. The door opened and it closed at least 7 times before I had made my way to the front.

The directress opened it once again and I caught sight of my two nibbles, so big now, holding their school sacs and coming out to greet me. But this time she ushered for me to come closer, she had me come half way into the doorway. You can imagine how exciting this was for me!

"I just want you to know", she said quietly, "that your children are incredible. They are just amazing. ALL of your hard work is showing through".

As a parent, you will never get tired of hearing words like these. EVER. And you know what? I know they're amazing (Oscar says to me on the way home, "sharks are fish and whales are mammals mom") and I certainly don't need anyone to tell me this in order to know it or believe it, but it sure feels good to hear it, AND to know that I'm leaving them at the door with someone who knows it too. That's a great feeling.