A little bit of a broken heart (or, Jack's first day of school)

We just got back from dropping Jack off for his first day of French elementary school. He looked so nervous, but so brave at the same time. We had met with his teacher yesterday after school (Maitresse Nathalie), and at first she seemed a bit hesitant to have Jack in her class. He hadn't learned cursive writing (to read or write himself yet -- they don't start that until Grade Three in Canada) and that is all they do in French schools. He didn't know the grammar the class was working on (it was pretty impressive stuff for 7 and 8 year olds, too -- more than my students in Writing 1000 know!). And he wasn't saying much (because he was nervous).

I started saying that we'd be OK if he was in the other class, but that Maitresse Isabelle heard him read and thought he'd be better suited in her class. So she had him read. He did great -- really flawless and perfect! She asked him questions about the reading. He was able to answer (in French, in complete sentences). Her face visibly relaxed. She said he will be fine -- that, in fact, he can read better than many in the class.

We talked a bit more about what he had done and where he might be ahead (reading, apparently; much more in math than the France class, which is just starting subtraction; and writing his own stories) and where he might be behind (adding numbers up to 1,000, which he hasn't done much in school although has done on his own; handwriting; grammar). Some things will be familiar -- about 10 spelling words a week. And some things will be new and we'll just have to tackle them when we know what they are.

We were then handed a list of school supplies and told to bring him today at 8:30. He enjoyed picking out the supplies (a compass! a new fancy eraser!) although that process has now officially overwhelmed me in Canada, Japan, and France.

And last night he enjoyed starting to practice some cursive writing with the help of a book I bought at a bookstore near our favorite (or at least familiar) E. Leclerc. More importantly, we talked about how to read the (sometimes strange, at least to us) French cursive writing and numbers. Last night, he was excited to go to school. We were too.

And then this morning, he woke up tired (we all still have some jetlag) and nervous. We took him to school and I waited with him outside. Kids were running around and playing tag. I pointed out that it looked just like the way he played tag at Agnes Davidson. I mentioned a good friend of his in Lethbridge who moved to Canada from Romania and how happy that friend is now, even though the friend didn't know ANY French when he started at Jack's school. I reminded him how well he did in Japan -- and how much harder that language was. (Yes, it does seem like I was the one who needed more reassurance!). At one point, we were just listening to the kids talking and playing, and I asked if he understood what they were saying. "Nope," he said, without panic, just honesty, in his voice.

Then a group of girls started stealing looks at him, so I asked their names and introduced Jack. We talked about how old everyone was (most of them were eight), and that Jack comes from Canada. When it was time to line up and go in, he joined the other students (standing by the girls he had been "talking" with earlier), biting his lip and smiling reassuringly at me. I talked a little with his teacher and said he was a bit nervous. She said that was to be expected And then it was time to go in. I asked him if he'd be OK if I left him there (that seemed to be both his and the teacher's preference) and he said yes. I said "je t'aime"  (I love you) and left him and cried all the way to the car.

I am sure he is fine -- or will be fine in a few days. But that doesn't make it any easier (for him or for his emotional mama). We'll pick him up today for lunch (their lunch break is one hour and forty five minutes!) so should get an update fairly soon.

We'll go through the same thing again on Monday when Kate and Liv start preschool. But somehow the stakes feel lower there. For one thing, they have each other. That's an important difference. Also, there is no expectation that they will be able to speak any French. And their teacher speaks a bit of English. The girls and I visited their preschool yesterday morning and it went quite well. The teacher taught the class a few songs in English (including a favorite -- Head, shoulders, knees and toes in both languages) -- and was very kind to the girls (although a bit stern with a handful of the students... after class, she told me to reassure Kate and Liv that she has to be tough with four students in particular, but that she will not have to be that stern with them).

The whole handwriting thing is amazing me too. Katie and Olivia's class is a mix of four and five year olds. Yesterday, while Kate and Liv and a few four year olds made a snow man from clay, the five year olds were practicing their cursive. And the different pictures in the class are labelled in cursive writing as well. It just goes to show how children learn whatever they are taught. Clearly, five year olds are capable of writing in cursive... it just seems "foreign" to me because it's not my experience or the experience of my children.

And while Jack is taking a crash course in cursive, Kate and Liv are having to relearn how to print their names. Apparently, when they do teach printing (to four year olds) in France, they only use capitals (I suppose if they are only going to print for a year, why bother with the lower case?). Kate, especially, was stressed a bit that she didn't know the "right" way to do it. So last night, they had a LOT of fun writing their names in all capitals so they, too, will be ready for school. I cringe a bit at this -- I know from talking to my aunt (a grade one teacher) and the teachers at Lethbridge schools that they like children to print in capitals and lower case letters... so they will have to "unlearn" this habit when they come home. Oh well. C'est la vie, I guess!

All in all, it's kind of been a stressful few days, at least for me and John. I don't think the kids have felt it (except for Jack this morning), but all of the paperwork, the meetings, navigating new and tiny roads, the last remnants of jetlag and the additional remnants of fatigue carried over from the crazy last weeks (and months, and year) in Canada preparing to leave... it's a lot to juggle. Both of us are just very tired. I even had a moment last night (filling out even more paperwork for Jack's school) when I thought "yeah, it would have been easier to stay in Lethbridge." Not better -- but at this point, definitely easier. I am sure a weekend of walks and time at home and no meetings will help -- as will time. At least that's what we plan to tell Jack today if he finds the start of school was hard, too.

And in between all of this we have managed to fit in some fun -- we had lunch at a wonderful brassirie yesterday (Cafe de France in Beaune) and found Franck and Laura's favorite boulangerie this morning. The man selling the bread was so charming. We chatted back and forth a bit and then I asked how much bread a family of five (with three small children) would need for a day. He suggested at least four baguettes! Really?! I said. Well, three is OK, he said, but four is better. For you, maybe, I thought... or maybe this is what all French people do? At any rate, I bought three and will report back on how French our family can be with its bread consumption. Again... I kind of think this is a chance to make up for all of the bread NOT eaten in Japan. But FOUR baguettes. That's a lot of "pain".

Oh, and yesterday we bought the girls new hats at a children's clothing store in Beaune (Katie's had become too small, and it is next to impossible to buy only one new item of clothing for the girls). We said it was in celebration of their first day of preschool (even though Monday is their "official" first day). They were on a big sale and sooooo cute (and quite French, I think).We really like Beaune and can't wait for the market on Saturday.