My major plan of finally enrolling Ana in a school here in Manila changed when
1.) The yaya I was training, left after 2 months..or maybe I fired her..something
2.) We had to move because the new owners of the building had to do major renovations, and
3.) I decided to quit my job at LV.
So where is she now? She’s in the Province with my mom, sister, brother and baby niece.
Last school year, she was studying in a Montessori school which was 30min away from our house. They had a school bus but my dad didn’t like that she was mixed with the big kids in that school bus. Apparently, these bigger kids keep talking about topics that Ana shouldn’t be hearing yet. And they also had really really dirty mouths. What have kids these days been learning at home?
Since my dad, who was the designated yaya of Ana, was leaving for Qatar, I decided to look for a school near our house. We live in the Centro area so schools were at least 2 or three blocks away from our house. Ha, the convenience! The problem was, which school? Would they take a 4-yr-old kid in?
First, we asked my old grade school - IECS. They only had kindergarten and the minimum age was 5 yrs old. Ana was only turning 5 this December. My younger cousin, who was turning 5 this October got in. I asked them, why not give these kids an examination to determine if they can academically qualify? Ana is a smart girl and I know she can pass if ever, but they said that rules are rules. Oh whatever, told them it wasn’t my loss.
Tied for second choice was a Catholic Private School and a Private Chinese School. That’s easy, I went for the Chinese school that was two blocks away. :D
To cut the story short, she got in, and is now in Kindergarten 2 class. They had a kindergarten 1 class for “younger” kids. Next year, Ana wil be qualified for grade school and she’ll be in Grade 1! Hurray for my daughter.
So how different is being separated from her this year from last year.
It’s still hard of course. Being away from her is one of the heaviest load that I have to carry everyday. But Ana makes it easier for me. How? I see how she’s enjoying in her classes right now. She’s very focused and I can see how she’s being taken care of in school. The proximity helps a lot, too! It lessens my worry on her commute time and I wouldn’t have to ask if she got home safely or if kids bully her in the school bus. I see that she’s happy and she no longer calls me on my phone because she’s sad that we are apart. She knows that I have to study and work for the both of us. Oh, how understanding and mature is she in dealing with this?
My only problem is that I can no longer pull her out from school to spend a week or two with me. In her Montessori school, we can just pull her out to spend time in the city so she wouldn’t miss me so much. In this Chinese school, she can’t be absent because she’d miss a lot in her lessons. So what I do now is go home in the Province after a month to spend at least 3 days with them. I still have to go back before the weekend because of my classes.
I don’t know how our set up will be next year. Will I be able to find a job that I want here in the city and still continue with my studies in AUSL? Or will I move to the Province next year to be with my daughter and family, and also transferring to a school there?