When my eldest son entered kindergarten

Hello (^^

Today, I will write down my memories of when my eldest son, T, entered kindergarten, while looking back. This covers the period from the spring of 2004.

First, around February. T obtained a disability certificate (ryoiku techo). We were able to start using child welfare services little by little. In T's case, the assessment was at the mildest level. The services available were limited. Even so, when we applied, we were grateful to be able to use them bit by bit, such as having a portion of the acquisition tax exempted (at the time) for the car used to take T to the facility.

T finished the "developmental support salon" that he had been attending every week for a year. From the spring, we continued to attend a "parents-only group" about once a month, where the child guidance center provided a space for us to hold study sessions, socialize, and consult with other parents.

From the previous article, we decided on a small private kindergarten run by my husband's family temple for his enrollment. It was about 1 km from our house. Since each parent and child had to commute together, I drove him back and forth every day. We had to bring a bento every day, and they practiced barefoot childcare...

He entered from the junior class. He was enrolled in the support group (Momo-gumi). At the entrance ceremony, T couldn't grasp the new situation and kept trying to move around happily, so I stayed with him the whole time, entering and waiting together.

There were two children in the support group that year, including T. After the entrance ceremony and the parent orientation, I was persuaded by the first homeroom teacher and the vice principal to suddenly become an officer for the support group. I didn't even understand what it meant, and I was nervous (sweat).

The other family in the support group seemed to have their own circumstances. I had the opportunity to talk to them many times later, and since their child's situation was even more difficult, I was convinced that "it was the right choice for me to take the role."

The homeroom teacher for the support group was a person with a constant smile who accepted T "as he was" and poured love into him✨. She was a warm person who seemed to observe and interact with even the child's unusual behavior with interest in the motives behind it.

I was greatly supported by the words and actions of this support group teacher, and my feelings changed to being able to entrust T to the kindergarten with peace of mind. T didn't have much stranger anxiety to begin with, but he got used to the atmosphere of the kindergarten, seemed to be loved and attached to the teachers, and going to kindergarten quickly became a fun routine for him.

I am truly grateful and helped by them (^^

The support group was in the largest room at the very back of the first floor of the kindergarten. It was a little different from the atmosphere of a normal classroom, and there were large play equipment inside the room. I imagine that in that space, he was taught the kindergarten rules (such as how to use the shoe cupboard, where to hang his bag, preparing his bento, attendance stickers, how to use the toilet, and that there is an order for things like the water fountain) almost on an individual basis...?

In May, when he had gotten used to going to kindergarten, he also started attending a "speech therapy class."

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