Pinay Mom on Motherhood, Etc.

I don’t know who was more excited — I think it was me. Angelo’s first day which was an almost hour-long introduction to his new world was a learning experience for both mother and son. I tried my best to step back and not play the stage mom, even when I felt like encouraging him and making him feel more at home. I have come to realize that sometimes, my presence actually doesn’t help to coax him out of his shell, but instead makes him hold back. I wanted to disappear so he wouldn’t be self-conscious, but this first day was precious. I couldn’t help myself. The other moms took a seat as the teacher gave the three kids a tour of the classroom. I remained standing so I could see him as he roamed each corner.

There were only three students. They had divided the entire class into 6 subgroups so the teacher and her assistant could focus on each one and do a hands-on one-on-one with each child. He colored a teddy bear and they were introduced to the shape and color that will be their ID code for the rest of the year. The good thing is that he can recognize his name visually. He knows the letters that form it, and if he sees it, he knows it’s his name.

He’s learning to color but needs a lot of practice. Just my luck that we were grouped with two girls who obviously had coloring a teddy bear down pat, but my boy tried.

We hit a bit of a snag when I realized they had labeled everything “Salvador” (which is his first name, like his Dad’s), and I had labeled everything we brought on the supply list as “Angelo”. My concern was a confusion as to his things, but the teacher said they wouldn’t want to refer to him as Salvador if he is called Angelo at home. It actually wouldn’t have been a problem because he responds to the same name, and he knows he is Salvador Angelo. In the end, the teacher replaced all the tags with “Salvador” with “Angelo”. So “Angelo” it will be.

I was so proud of him when he sat with his legs crossed in the story telling corner (like a pretzel as the teacher told the other two girls), borne out of training he had at pre-school. He was well mannered and quiet but I know he will eventually crawl out of his shell. We got a getting-to-know-you sheet from the teacher, and a school lunch registration form. (No, we are far from qualified for the reduced lunch, but we were told each child has to be registered with the state.)

Here I am starting my journey with him on his foray into the bigger world. I made Alan read all the circulars and letters, and I taught him about the homework folder I slid into the backpack I needed Angelo to bring Thursday. One of our new routines from now on.