Nursery University

Mat and I watched this documentary the other night. If you have a young child, or a child soon to be in preschool, you need to rent this. It is pretty funny. It is a documentary about getting into a New York City preschool and what that entails. It is unreal. I don't know who I felt worse for - the preschools or the parents. These preschools are around $21,000 or MORE for a 6 hour day. (9-3). So basically, you have to spend a college tuition to send your kids there, but yet, someone really can't work. What job works from about 9:30-2:30 (considering that is how long you would be there if you had to drop off and pick up your kid?)? You could work a little, but would it REALLY put a dent into that kind of tuition?

Most families in the documentary were rich, upper East Side New Yorkers. There was one family who required financial aid, and one family that said "forget this" and put their child in a co-op preschool run by parents. Most families applied to no less than 6 schools! And even then, they may not even make the lottery. AND EVEN THEN - they might not be accepted. In most incidences they had 150 applications for 20 spots. WOW.

Now, I have to say, I am a little bit of a preschool snob. I do want my kids to have a "leg up" as the documentary stated. And Mat and I pay quite a bit for our kids to go to their current private preschool. Not $21,000 a kid. But, you know. It isn't cheap. And we thought what we pay was outrageous! And we both work. And I don't have a nanny taking care of my kids while I am home during the day. So.......we are different. Right? Although, that DOES sound kind of nice........

Anyway, the point is - a good preschool is important. To a point. I don't think that a good preschool will get my children into Harvard. Finley is going to clown school, remember? And Arlington wants to be a statue when she grows up. Or a taxi driver. (toss up). What I believe is that a good preschool will teach my children the basics, but give them social skills, and teach them sharing, and being accepting of all people. That is what a good preschool means to us. If you have a child in elementary school, you know that preschool is almost a requirement to do well. Meeting with Arlington's teacher the other day, she was telling me that this year requirements are becoming more complicated for first grade due to the upcoming Mastery Tests. So they push ahead. Kindergarten is the "new first grade" and all that blah.

We made a change in our kids preschool this year. We felt they were really in a daycare setting at their last school, and wanted them to be in a "school". Especially Cainan who does seem to have some learning issues. And he has really thrived. His classroom really pushes academics, and he has made some amazing progress. So, we feel we are getting our money worth.

But there wasn't a lottery. Or a wait list. Or pressure. We simply called them up, applied, (gave them a lot of money), and the kids went to school there. The end.

Although - I do think I should call the school and request they put in a gym. And a library. And a wood working room. And a pool.......you know - like the New York City preschools have. Don't you think I should request those? Yeah, maybe not.

You have to watch this documentary. It makes me glad I don't live in a city.



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Finley did end up getting sick. I jinxed myself on Tuesday when I said she was doing fine. Wednesday morning she woke up with a fever of 101. So I stayed home with her. I gave her motrin, she laid on the couch for about 1 1/2 hours, then she was a crazy maniac the rest of the day. The fever never returned after 7:30am, and that was the end of it. So, she went back to school on Thursday. Today she has laryngitis. I am not surprised about that. That is a weak spot in the women in our family (my mom, grandma, myself included) so when we get sick, we tend to lose our voice.
Hmmmmm......you know - Finley being silent is kind of nice......... Just kidding.

So, Cainan, Mat, Arlington, and Finley all have some kind of sickness. Cainan, Arlington and Mat just have lingering coughs. Arlington and Finley were the only ones that really had fevers. And me? I am still hanging in there. Maybe 12 years of pediatric nursing is starting to pay off. Nah. I am sure my time is coming.
The number of kids absent in my school has been getting less and less. By Friday we were down to 41 kids absent and I only sent 1 home. So that is down from 93 on Monday. Yay!! We are on the mend. And really, those absent on Friday were over their fevers, but parents were keeping them home an extra day just to give them one more day of rest. I hope this is the end of it and another "wave" will not come through our area.



This coming week Cainan has an ENT appointment to look at his ear tube. The doctor tried a different antibiotic, and honestly, the ear infection didn't come back. So Monday she will look at the tube one more time and decide if it needs to be changed or can stay in for now.

Finley also has an ENT appointment this week. As part of her LCA diagnosis, hearing can be affected. So she is being checked. She has a hearing test first and then will meet with the doctor. If nothing else - maybe she can give me some tips to control her overwhelming large amount of ear wax. I think that is probably what is causing her hearing loss (even the genetic tests revealed she produced a lot of access ear wax) .
Finley's kidney tests all came back normal. She had blood drawn and gave a sample and all is well. So that was a relief. It will just be something to continue to watch annually to make sure nothing changes. More goodness. Heart - good. Kidneys - good.

Now - if they could JUST fix her whining problem.

Today Mat and Arlington went to our church to help with annual cleaning. Since Finley is feeling under the weather, the VT's (virtual twins) and I stayed here and hung out together. I wanted to take the kids to a movie, but not much is playing right now. But again, since Finley isn't well, it is for the best.


Tonight we sat around and watched a movie together and then the kids played a little while before bed. Mat and I have plans to watch another movie together this evening. It has been a nice day.
So that is it - I will see you Tuesday!